Should learner drivers not have high powered cars until a certain age?

thegriffon

The question of power is somewhat irrelevant anyway. Even the most basic cars are powerful enough to go well over the speed limit. This is not the '50s or '60s when a car capable of 100 or 120 mph was unusual. Even a basic small car such as Fiesta or Barina can easily reach well over 100 mph (160 km/h)—an unsafe speed on many supposedly flat, straight roads in this country. Even a 10 year old Barina with just 66 kw can reach around 180 km/h where possible (although it would require better roads to do so safely).

There are other solutions. In Europe there are special classes of vehicle (voiturettes, quadricycles, or vehicles sans permits) which can be driven without a license or with only a restricted license. They are limited in speed and passengers but unfortunately cost just as much or more to buy as larger cars. Many US states allow similar vehicles (often electric) classed as "neighborhood" vehicles and which are not only limited in speed but which may not be allowed on certain roads (national regulations class them as "off-road" vehicles [i.e. for use in areas such as industrial parks, academic campuses, and private property, but not public roads]). Restricting novice drivers to these vehicles places an undue burden on most families however.

Other solutions look at circumstances of accidents and bad driving, rather than the vehicle. An increasing number of states in the US place restrictions on the number of passengers younger drivers can carry with them in curfew periods (since hooliganism and risky driving is usually a group activity involving showing off to one's mates, usually at night).