So, are you going to drive our teenagers to school and/or deny them their right to become adults by becoming responsible drivers? If teens are that curious to drink or do drugs, they will do it regardless if you try and legislate any unnecessary laws. Make sure you give them a loving environment that stimulates their creativity and dreams and you won't have this societal problem. Teens only abuse substances because they're bored and have nothing else to do. Give them hope, not stupid focus groups they wouldn't give a damn about.

So you think teens are mature enough to drive at 16? I wasn't. None of my friends were. We did anyway. We all had wrecks, many due to immaturity and stupidity rather than driving inexperience (i.e. driving too fast, being distracted by friends, showing off for passengers).

Driving isn't a right, it's a privilege, and teens can take the bus to school like all the other students. My parents made me take the bus and I survived.

As for being substance abusers because you're bored, I don't buy that. It's a product of bad parenting. Parents should live by the philosophy that you're never too old for an ass whooping, preferably in public in front of your friends, so the humiliation factor keeps from ever wanting to mess up again.