Senator Letter #20

Dear Senator Bennet:

I’m a student at Frank Borman Middle School in Arizona. Driving is needed in some people’s lives because they need to go place that aren't near all the time and that's why I'm writing this letter. Have you ever needed to go somewhere but didn't have a ride or your parents wouldn't take you as a teen? Have you ever wanted to get a license at age 15 or 16 but you couldn't because of your age? Think about you teenage days and think about how us or teens now days feel about driving especially when they need to get somewhere important.

Driving is kind of a big problem to people in the world because everyone needs to get places and they can't always walk especially where they live, some neighborhoods aren't safe to walk around and they aren't safe to hang out because some of these places are bad and they end up having shootings and what not. Some people are afraid to come out their houses because they are afraid that they are going to get shot and they don't want to die.

Teenagers want to be able to have fun and what not and just because there are people that go out and drive when they aren't allowed to that doesn't mean that all teens should be punished and they should have the right to drive at least the age of 15. There are teens out there that are good teenagers and they actually want to get a good education and they can't because sometimes they want to drive to school or work and they can't because they aren't old enough. There are some parents that are able to bring them to school and all but they don't want to be seen with their parents. If I was to have a good education and want to be a successful person then I would probably drive with or without a license because I would be the one to obey the laws and what not so that I wouldn't be the one to get caught without a drivers license and be in trouble.

The problem with teenagers driving is that some of them don't care about the laws. There are some teens that weren't born here and they don't really know that they aren't able to drive yet but their parents should tell them at least. Some teens, me for example I'm only 14 going on 15 but the thing is that I want to be able to drive when I'm 15 because then at that age since I'm already starting to go out with my friends to parties and what not I want to be able to bring them where they have to go and I would like to get where I have to go without someone always having to watch me all the time. Walking is a waste of some teens times because they either are lazy to walk or they don't trust their neighborhood. Me and some of my friends don't trust our neighborhood because when I walk around sometimes I end up getting honked at or even follow and I don't feel comfortable especially when I'm by myself. Some teens parents aren't able to take them everywhere and they don't want to take the city bus because they are nasty and full of germs.

What I think you can do is at least hear what some people have to say about teens driving and at least give them a chance. If anything they should give them a license at the age of 15 or 16 and they should be able to drive, at night time maybe not all the time but they should be able to drive and then if they just so happen to get in trouble then they can take it away and have them be able to get it back when they are 18 or 19 or maybe even later. That should be a little punishment because we all need it at some point in life but then when they give it back they should have to pay a little fee it depends on what they did. If the reason that they got their license tooken away was really serious then they should get it back and be treated like an adult because they want to act like one so treat them like one.You should hear what we have to say and if you have to then ask adults when they vote if we should be able to. Everyone was a teenager once in life and they know what it's like when you have no car and you like to go places and have fun like all the time and they should tell us whether we should be able to or not.

Thank you for taking the time to read what I had to say and hopefully you will think about it. I'm not doing it just for myself but I'm doing it for all teens that deserve to drive and some of us need some kind of education not all teens try their best to pass and what not but that's because they don't care about their future.


Sincerely:

Portia Yowytewa