DON'T LOWER LEGAL DRIVING AGE IN MISSOURI

One of the most ill-advised measures to come before the Missouri General Assembly in a long time is one that would extend driving privileges to 14-year-olds.

Granted, the bill filed by state Rep. Vicky Hartzler, R-Harrisonville, would require that 14-year-olds be enrolled in driver's education programs and drive only under the instruction of a supervisor. But most 14-year-olds are not ready to drive.

Both Hartzler's measure, and another entered by state Rep. Craig Hosmer, D-Springfield, would also allow supervised driving at age 15 rather than 15 1/2. At 16, rather than having full driving privileges, the driver would receive a permit with restrictions such as an early morning curfew. Then, at 18, teen-agers would get the same driving privileges as adults providing they didn't have any drug or alcohol violations. They also would need a minimum amount of driving practice under adult supervision.

While both proposals are aimed at making better drivers out of teen-agers, they contradict themselves by lowering the age by more than one year on one end of the scale and boosting it by two years on the other.

There are a lot of teen-agers who holds jobs at the ages of 16 and 17 and depend on a car to get them to and from work. And how many young teens would take driver's education programs, since they are voluntary, after school or simply non-existent in many high schools?

It would be best to leave matters they way they are.