I have been an instructor since 1980 and on the board of directors of the Driving School Association of California since 1989. Almost every year since I can remember, students and parents have asked me or more to the point told me that as of such and such year kids born after that year will have to be 18 before they get a licence. The answer is the same then as now.

THERE IS NO LAW BEING CONTEMPLATED OR ON THE BOOKS AT THIS POINT IN TIME.

1. As President of the Driving School Association of California I can assure you we have a paid lobbyist in Sacramento and no law has been proposed or is considered at this point in time 10/21/2012.
2. Generally the public gets what it wants in California, and most parents want their kids driving at 16 if they wish, and the reason in most cases is, the parents are happy to not be tied to driving the kids everywhere and welcome the family help.
3. Actually raising the age to 18 although it sounds good in theory it really is not for those who understand the problem. At 16 a teen getting a license will be under parental supervision for at least 2 years of driving, gaining hopefully some valuable experience and maturity. At 18 kids are not often at home and are off in College and learning without parental supervision or training requirements. This puts a young driver out on the road without supervision let alone the college experience.

The sad truth is that the statistics have been going up on the 18 and 19 year olds in fatal or serious accidents as the stats have been dropping on the 16 year olds that are getting trained. The reason is because after 18 there are no mandatory training requirements and youngsters have been waiting until they can turn 18 to avoid paying for training and have the stiffer driving requirements imposed on them. So what is being proposed is to close that loop hole and require teens up to 20 to do Driver Education and Training, so they hit the road with some professional knowledge and training.

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