Opinion: Should teenagers get temporary driver's license?

Do you think it would be a good idea to grant teenagers (aged 16 to 18) a temporary driving license? 

Well, as of now public opinion is divided on this issue in Qatar, according to a report on Gulf Times.

While some feel that issuing temporary licences to teenagers will lead to a rise in the number of road accidents and also end up reducing the study time of students, others are of the view that this helps families while they go for shopping and for taking children to school.

Wait a minute! I still cannot comprehend why the authorities would even bring this up for public opinion. As far as I know, and everybody else knows this, the traffic jam situation is quite bad here in Qatar.

Even considering issuing temperory licenses to a new category of the population is close to madness, as this will undoubtedly increase the number of cars on the streets.

And the last thing we all need are more immature drivers who may lack the psychological capability to make the right decisions while driving in strenuous conditions.

Not to mention all that adrenaline rushing through once these kids get behind the wheel of some powerful car. Surely not all teenagers will be driving like maniacs, but can the authorities guarantee that all the teenagers will keep their nerves and senses in check? 

More importantly, the authorities have been strict about issuing licenses to certain working classes with the intent of reducing the number of vehicles on the streets. If that is actually their reasoning, then the same reasoning should be applied by authorities in this scenario.

According to the report on Gulf Times, some have said granting temporary driving licences to teenagers would help solve several issues — financial and psychological — faced by families.

These include transporting children to educational institutions without having to hire foreign drivers, who have to be given salary and housing at the family’s residence, as well as the fact that many parents may be busy with work or may face traffic problems while reaching a location.

If the parents can't reach a location due to traffic problems, how do they expect their kids to do the same?

I have lost count of the number of times I have seen under-aged kids driving on the street, especially during the wee hours of the night. Some of them end up losing their lives due to reckless driving.

Quite a few of them also get stopped by the police during those random checks, but then they can just pay those hefty fines and they are back on the streets again.

In a country where clout (or money in the form of penalties) can outweigh written laws, even the opinion of the majority may go unnoticed. All we can hope for now is that the authorities in-charge won't make a mistake by allowing teenagers to drive as the disadvantages greatly outweigh the advantages.

So what do you think? Should parents let their teenage kids takeover driver responsibilities?

This is strictly my opinion based on my experience living in this country.