Why the Taiwanese Government Should Increase the Driving Age To 16

Curtis Shih (’27) Mar. 30, 2023

In Taiwan, teens must wait until they are 18 to obtain a driver’s license, but being able to drive earlier on can be beneficial to teens in many ways. Taiwan has been a leading pioneer in jurisdictions, law enforcement, and more. In May 2019, same-sex marriage was legalized in Taiwan making them the first state in Asia to do so. Since then Taiwan has continued to lead in many standards such as economics, healthcare, and more. That being said, raising the legal age for driving can prove that Taiwan is advocating for change and improving its laws and regulations to meet new leading standards and goals. Nowadays, parents want teens to become more independent and self-reliant, that’s why the Taiwanese government should allow teens to be able to drive at 16 since it increases their independence and responsibility while helping alleviate parental burdens.

Lowering the driving age will give teens another source of transportation while helping to reduce parental burdens. Many teens nowadays participate in extracurricular activities such as sports, clubs, community service work, and more. Most activities like these usually are not within walking distance. Without transportation that is easily accessible, teens have to rely on their already busy parents. According to an article written by Heather Marcoux, titled, “Moms spend a TON of time driving their kids, survey (and your life) confirms”, “51% of parents spend upwards of five hours a week driving their kids around—and 13% devote more than 10 hours per week to shuttling duties”. With the high demands of driving kids around, parents won’t have time to dedicate to themselves since most parents spend their time working and after work, they have to take care of their children. Research shows, “Parents have just 32 minutes to themselves every day and many have to hide from their kids to get a breather” (Schmall). Without time for themselves, parents can feel burnt out, fatigued, and exhausted. These issues can leave them feeling chronically fatigued and can lead to sleep issues, depression, and chronic issues. If teens start driving at 16, parents can be relieved from continuously driving their kids around while also gaining time for themselves to relax and chill. Parents will also be able to rely on the older sibling(s) to drive around the younger siblings. With their newfound free time, parents can now go out to dinner while also being able to share a few drinks because they can rely on their teens to drive them home. By pushing the legal driving age to 16, teenagers can be able to help reduce the stress levels of their parents.

With the ability to drive at a young age means more responsibility, which can lead to better self-discipline and self-managing skills. Obtaining and driving a car can be a responsibility for teens that are 16. They have to learn how to take care of their vehicle like maintaining their cleanliness, taking them for repairs, and other maintenance issues. They also have to calculate the financial fees such as gas, insurance, and taxes. Although these factors may seem like a lot of work for a 16-year-old, the earlier introduction to these self-management skills can lead them to become more independent. According to an article titled, “Why encourage your children to learn to drive early?”, “The earlier that your children can begin learning to drive, then the more experience they will gain. Getting increased experience will ultimately make them a more responsible and safer road user”. With the extra two years of driving experience, teens can master their foundational skills in driving and ultimately become safer and more responsible drivers. Being able to drive also means the freedom to travel and explore new places and areas. Doing that helps teens develop a sense of responsibility and independence as they plan trips and getaways. Teens also need to be able to follow traffic laws and regulations while ensuring the safety of the passengers that they are driving. An earlier introduction to driving for teens may not seem to impact the present moment, but it can help them gain lots of experience and responsibility for the future. According to the CDC, “Crash rates are about 1.5 times higher for 16-year-olds than for 18–19-year-olds” (“Teen Drivers”). Many teens at the age of 16 aren’t fully developed and do not have enough skills to make quick and appropriate decisions. With their immaturity and limited driving experience, they can end up in fatal car crashes, hurting themselves and others. A great solution for 16-year-old teens driving is by implementing the Graduated Driver Licensing System (GDL). GDL systems ensure that teens can gain the driving experiences and skills they need to prevent any accidents or risks from happening. GDL systems extend the learning periods of driving and require parents to participate with their children while they learn to drive and limit newly licensed teens to driving in high-risk environments such as the highway and short narrow roads. Essentially the GDL System ensures that teens get enough driving experience before they are permitted to obtain a driver’s license and with longer periods than normal, teens will learn more carefully because of the long learning periods. According to a study conducted by the U.S. Department of Transportation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration states, GDL systems have shown that implementing the system has significantly reduced teen crashes and accidents from happening. CDC research also shows that 14 different studies also found that GDL systems are associated with reductions of about 19% for injury crashes and about 21% for fatal crashes for 16-year-olds (“Graduated Driver Licensing”). With these reductions in crashes, we can see that GDL systems can ensure that 16-year-olds are ready and prepared to drive safely on the road and not cause fatal accidents.

Overall, the law should permit teens to have the choice of legally driving at 16 because it can help them gain a huge responsibility before entering adulthood while also assisting parents to have a more flexible schedule. Independence is key to a successful future because after leaving their parents, teens are now in charge of their own decisions, and practicing independence before adulthood will benefit teens hugely. Parents already have a lot of work on their plate like working, taking care of their kids, doing housework, and more. Driving teens around everywhere even just a short trip can take up lots of time in their day and add up to their already busy schedule. This is why parents should start writing to the government to change regulations regarding the legal driving age for teens. With Taiwan’s passion to become a leading industry, they would likely consider changing the rules and regulations if parents get together and promote a viable solution and reason to increase the driving age.