Underage driving increasingly prevalent

Newspaper Article: Thomas, Sujin (2008, September 2). Underage driver dies in crash. The Straits Times, p. B1

Reference:
http://www.straitstimes.com/Free/Story/STIStory_210386.html

Recently, a 16-year-old boy died in a car crash after attempting to drive a car without any driving license. It was not the first time that Yeo Ken How, a Secondary 4 student at Bedok South Secondary School, did that, but this time, it proved fatal.
Ken How was driving his older brother’s car when the accident happened. His older brother happened to be overseas on pilot training. Ken How was known to be interested in all things related to cars. His friends had constantly persuaded him not to drive his brother’s car as it was risky, but their warnings were futile.

Much attention has been on drink driving, and little on underage driving. In fact, underage driving is increasingly prevalent. This incident has proven that underage driving is dangerous, and if no attempt is made to address this issue, more lives will be at risk. As ownership of cars become more common among Singaporeans, and teenagers become more exposed to cars and driving, through electronic and arcade games and the media, as well as the Formula 1 race to be held in Singapore, teenagers will become more curious about driving, and even attempt to drive without any formal training. So what can we do to reduce instances of underage driving?

From a family perspective, parents can do more to educate their children about the hazards of driving without any proper training, as well as take precautions such as preventing their children from laying hands on the car keys.

From a social perspective, the authorities should do more to redress the lack of education and awareness on underage driving among teenagers. Authorities should spread knowledge about the dangers of underage driving through schools, the mass media such as radio and television channels popular with teenagers, as well as alternative media such as the internet, for these are the most likely places where teenagers will be easily influenced.

From a political perspective, perhaps the government can adopt unconventional moves, though they might face fierce opposition from the public. One is to lower the legal age for driving, such that teenagers are allowed to drive, except that they must have passed their theory and practical tests, and they must be accompanied by an adult whenever they drive. Such systems have already been adopted in a few other countries.

The advantages of lowering the legal age for driving include teenagers at least having the proper skills and training to drive, and knowing how to react in different circumstances. Its disadvantages include teenagers abusing their licenses to drive alone and in a reckless manner. Even at the current legal age of 18, there are already many older youths who drive dangerously. This shows that perhaps Singaporean youths are just not mature enough to drive responsibly.

Overall, prevention must start at home, as the upbringing of children sets the foundation for responsible drivers. Only if parents act as role models and constantly remind their children about the dangers of underage driving, then it will be embedded in their minds, and only then will the authorities’ awareness campaigns be well-received by teenagers and become a success.