It’s an age-old battle (no pun intended), and the IIHS (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety) is recommitting itself to the fight. What’s their target? The legal driving age across the country.
In most of the United States, the legal driving age is sixteen, but the IIHS is calling on states to raise that age, in the interest of auto .
In a statement made earlier this month, Adrian Lund, president of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, a research organization that is funded by the auto insurance industry, said that he was planning to present the proposal at the annual conference of the Governors Highway Safety Association, held in Scottsdale Arizona on Tuesday, September 16th.
Admitting that this proposal was a “tough sell,” Lund noted that auto accidents are the leading cause of death among teenagers. He went on to say, “The bottom line is that when we look at the research, raising the driving age saves lives.”
Studies have shown that in states like New Jersey, where the legal driving age is seventeen, there are fewer accidents (and fewer resulting deaths) among teen-aged drivers.
Getting a driver’s license at age sixteen has long been a rite of passage for many Americans. The IIHS recognizes this, but believes keeping the roads safe is more important than preserving such a tradition.