She took dad's car for a spin - literally

Not with a 380 Kg battery pack in the floor! The gas smart maybe, the Smart ED, not as easy! Believe me, this little car can be thrashed and thrown around, and all that happens is front end washing away due to understeer with those skinny tires.

 

While you may feel this is true for your locality, I can assure you it does not apply to typical US freeways.

 

These same kids probably shake their head when an adult they know chooses to read something on paper rather than an electronic device. It goes both ways.

 

The irony here is that learning to drive standard has ever diminishing returns, while becoming familiar/comfortable with digital media is quite the opposite.

 

As a 19 year old who bought my 70D when I was 18 and have it as a daily driver, I am grateful to be driving such a safe vehicle, but it does not excuse my actions. I still need to take responsibility on the road and drive appropriately. But I don't believe that teenagers should be restricted from driving these vehicles, you can hurt yourself and others in any car, it just comes down to the driver.

But am very glad nobody was life threateningly injured in this event.

 

If I recall correctly, statistically teenagers are more likely to get in car accidents etc when there are more people (teen friends) in the car. I remember some of my friends w older/teen kids had told me they have insurance clauses which expressly forebade more than 2 teens in the car at once.

Astroboy this is not a comment or reflection on you. Just a general one regarding the accident...

 

I completely agree. In Australia, when you are on your Provisional License (normally 17-20 years old), you cannot have more than one person in the car with you who is not an immediate family member between 11pm and 5am.