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Comment by consp | Hacker News Reader

> quite unsafe.

For the occupant yes. Less so for everyone around.

> that didn't pass for some reason.

It's still a 1500kg block of steel in the hands of people with lesser developed sense of danger (still applies to some adults but that is a different discussion). I get the "people need to go places" but apparently there are no adults who can provide the "service" of driving someone somewhere in the countryside.

The tractor exception was valid in my place as well and was dealt with in a updated law, it's not european afaik simply most countries banning it.

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One can put a limit to 1000kg and 50km/h for cars that can be driven from 15-16 years old. The way it is today, at 16 you can fly a plane in most of Europe but you cannot drive a car. Does this make any sense?

> It's still a 1500kg block of steel in the hands of people with lesser developed sense of danger.

In the US people start driving at 16, no? In Austria and Germany you can get an early license with 17.

I got my moped license with 15, but that is probably a hard sell in the north ...

I'd say reduce the age at which people can get a license, make drivers education better, and put a limit on horsepower (same way it is done with motorcycle licenses).

For the US driving at 16 is common especially in the rural states. We could also get our learners permit at 14 so I could drive with my parents in the car. Mostly for me it meant I was the one then doing the 5hr drive to my grandparents place.

Also several of my friends got mopeds at 14 and would drive them around town. Not good for driving on gravel roads but was great for the kids in town.

The farm kids out of town would drive their parents trucks/cars in and around their property starting around 13/14 but that was generally to haul feed and equipment around.

Most US states allow you to get a learners permit at 15.5 years, so that you can get your license when you first turn 16.

There are limitations- an accompanying adult, number of non adult passenger restrictions to limit distractions etc, but the reality is they are still in control of the vehicle.

Out in the country, it is relatively common to drive yourself to school the last year or two. Trying to raise the age to 18 would not go over well at all!

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