Insurance Institute calls to raise legal age of drivers

Minnesota traffic safety officials do not expect state lawmakers to raise the legal driving age for teenagers any time soon.

This week, the influential Insurance Institute for Highway Safety called on states to raise the minimum age to get a driver's license from 16 - to 17 or 18.

Minnesota Traffic Safety Director Cheri Marty said her office is educating lawmakers on the life-saving advantages of raising the age, but Marty said she does not see an outcry for the change.

"I think that until we see parents pushing to help change the licensing laws - and that's the constituency of our policy makers - I don't know that we're going to see a big push for this change," Marty said.

Marty said many parents grow weary of shuttling their children to events and embrace the age-16 driver's license.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety says car crashes are the leading cause of death among teenagers.

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