Political Issues Teens are Interested In
From LoveToKnow Teens
Teens want to be heard, and there are many political issues that teens are interested in. In fact, even though teens cannot vote until they reach the age of eighteen, they still want their opinions to be heard. A nationwide survey sponsored by the Lutheran Brotherhood stated that 73 percent of the 500 thirteen to fifteen year olds interviewed actually believed that young people can make a difference in current political issues and decisions.
Teens and Driving
One of the most controversial political issues that teens are interested in surrounds the legal driving age. States typically set the legal driving requirements for adolescents. Some states offer limited drivers licenses, beginning with a driver's permit, which is often issued at age fifteen, and increasing the allowed driving time with experience and age. Many states have placed limits on the amount of passengers a sixteen year old can have in the car, and they've also instituted curfew limits on nighttime driving as well. Some states are also tying the approval of a driver's license to school performance and the completion of drivers ed.
With all of these guidelines in place, however, the issue of teens driving is still a hot one. Many teens believe that the driving requirements should be more lenient. With more and more teens working, driving to extracurricular activities, and carting around younger siblings, they argue that their responsibilities require them to drive as early and as often as possible. However, the statistics state the hard truth.
The following statements were published in USA Today, In crashes involving sixteen to nineteen year-old drivers that occurred in 2003, about 3,500 teenagers died in teen-driven vehicles in the USA that year — a death toll that tops that of any disease or injury for teens. More than two-thirds of fatal single-vehicle teen crashes involved nighttime driving or at least one passenger age sixteen to nineteen. Nearly three-fourths of the drivers in those crashes were male, and sixteen-year-old drivers were the riskiest of all. Their rate of involvement in fatal crashes was nearly five times that of drivers ages twenty and older, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
Teens and Alcohol
Another political issue that teens are interested in is legalized alcohol sales to teens. A couple of decades ago, the legal drinking age in many states was eighteen. However, that age limit has since been raised to twenty-one in every state. Do young adults agree? The argument for raising the legal drinking age to twenty-one was basically formed to combat the immaturity of younger teens and the differentiation that occurred when crossing state lines. Today, teens argue that raising the legal drinking age hasn't stopped teens from drinking and instead has promoted binge drinking. This debate continues with each generation. According to SADD, which is Students Against Destructive Decisions, the following statistics were documented:
- In 2005, about 10.8 million persons ages 12-20 (28.2% of this age group) reported drinking alcohol in the past month.
- Nearly 7.2 million (18.8%) were binge drinkers, and 2.3 million (6.0%) were heavy drinkers.
- More than half (58%) of 12th graders report having been drunk at least once in their life. One fifth (20%) of 8th graders report having been drunk at least once in their life.
Teens and Abortion
Still another political issue that teens are interested in is abortion. Teens continue to voice their opinion regarding many issues surrounding abortion.
- Should parents be notified?
- Should teens be allowed to choose abortion without a parent's consent?
- Is abortion right or wrong?
The statistics are scary. According to the American Civil Liberties Union, a special report by the Alan Guttmacher Institute (AGI) stated that almost 350,000 U.S. teenagers under the age of eighteen become pregnant each year. Approximately 82% of these pregnancies are unintended. Fifty-five percent of pregnant teenagers give birth, 14% have miscarriages, and 31% have abortions. Teens, however, continue to debate the issue.
Political Issues Teens are Interested In
How can teens become involved in political issues in which they are interested? They are a variety of ways.
- Join student government associations at your school.
- Volunteer for campaign organizations in your community.
- Attend rallies supporting political issues that you are interested in.
- Read! Read! Read! Peruse newspapers, magazines, and the Internet about various political topics.
Finally, check out the following Web sites for more information and guidance.
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