Letter: Minors have skills to drive

Wednesday, March 23, 2005 | 9:10 a.m.

I'm a 15-year-old freshman at Palo Verde High School writing in response to J. Jeffrey Tate's March 13 letter about the U.S. Supreme Court's recent banning of the death penalty for minors. He says that the decision for the death penalty should be decided on a case-by-case basis. I agree. The punishment for criminals should be specific to their case. He also says that the minimum driving age should be changed to 18, because minors lack driving skill. That I don't agree with.

It think it's a pretty big stereotype, and am personally looking forward to getting my permit in a few months. Also stated in his letter is that a large number of males in their 20s and 30s lack driving skill and courtesy, and that their "misdirected machismo" should make them ineligible to drive until they're 35. I know, or at least I think, he wasn't serious about that last one, but if certain minor drivers have the ability to drive skillfully and responsibly, why should they be punished with the taking away of their privilege of driving?

Why change the law to make 18 the minimum driving age? Why can't teenagers' driving privileges be decided on a case-by-case basis, too?

CHRIS BOWEN