Maturity and rationalization are not yet achieved or experienced by adolescents. In the age of technology, drivers of all ages can become distracted while maneuvering. Parents can play an educational role by enrolling their teenager in a driver education program. Some states require students to complete a comprehensive graduated driver's license (GDL) program before receiving their license. Brain functions are still developing in adolescents and can hinder the quick thinking process needed to become a responsible driver. For the safety and well-being of adolescents, the age requirement for obtaining a driver's license in Arizona should be increased from 16 to 18 years old. In the state of Arizona, teenagers aged 15 years and six months can apply for their learner's permit. A written driving test covering basic driving laws and rules is then carried out. Once passed, the new driver has six months to drive a minimum of 30 hours daytime and 10 hours nighttime, in the presence of a licensed driver. This allows teens to feel comfortable driving alongside a licensed driver before venturing out to drive alone. After the six-month period of practice, the teenager can take the driving portion of the exam to obtain their driving license. “The risk of accident is particularly high during the first months of obtaining the license. » (Teen Drivers: Fact Sheet 1) The need for more driving practice and defensive driving is relevant. Are 16 year olds capable of understanding the responsibility and danger of getting behind the wheel? Although some adolescent students possess responsible habits, they may still face the danger of not being able to appreciate the consequences of taking risks. Jay Giedd, chief of brain imaging at the National Institute of Mental Health...... middle of article ......ww.2 fact.com/article/i1100500>“Teen Drivers : Fact Sheet » Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, October 2, 2012. Internet. February 1, 2014Drivers/teendrivers_factsheet.html>“Better driver education will make young drivers safer. » Opposing Viewpoints: Cars in America. Ed. Andrea C. Nakaya. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2006. Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Gale of wind. Central Arizona College. February 1, 2014=OVRC&prodId=OVRC&userGroupName=cazc_main&tabID=T010&docId=EJ3010429225&type=retrieve&contentSet=GSRC&version=1.0>.Nienstedt, Andrea. “Distracted driving”. The Gale Encyclopedia of Public Health.Ed. Laurie J. Fundukian. Flight. 1. Detroit: Gale, 2013. 251-256. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Internet. February 1. 2014.