Many teens are killed in car crashes each year. Teen car deaths are the No. 1 killer of teens in America. Underage drinking and poor judgment are two of the causes of car deaths. Teens are too young to be behind the wheel.

Studies from the National Institutes of Health show that teens’ brains are not fully matured. The estimated age when the brain matures is between 18 and 20 years. The age teens can get their licenses now is 16. That is two years before the brain matures. Being a teen myself, I am eager to get behind the wheel, but I want to be safe behind it, too.

Teens die with more then one passenger in the car at a time, either boy or girl. With more passengers in the car, studies show that the teen drivers are going faster, and not all passengers are wearing their seatbelts. There are too many teens dying in cars. One death is too many.

Something has to be done! Maine should raise the driving age to 18 years old. Raising the age that teens get their licenses will give their brains more time to mature. We should change driving laws to save more teens’ lives.

Katie Naums