Comparative analysis of political participation Essay Example for Free

Comparative analysis of political participation Essay The change in political participation is currently a hotly discussed topic. Low turnouts in the 2001 and 2005 UK general elections, along with falling membership of political parties have led political organisations to discover the reasons for this (BBC, 2006). One method is to use comparative analysis. This â€Å"is about comparing aspects of countries’ political systems† (Dobson, 2005, p.140) to try to understand why a phenomenon occurs in one country or time period but not in another. This essay looks at two factors, which evidence suggests affect political participation: gender and socio-economic standing. It examines whether comparative analysis is a useful tool for studying this topic. It concludes that whilst comparative politics is helpful at identifying participation trends, it is too simplistic to provide practical answers and that further studies are required to reveal useful outcomes. Historically, conventional ways for citizens to participate in politics were by voting in elections and joining a political party. The decline in these activities has led some to believe there is political apathy in Britain. However Helena Kennedy (cited by White, 2006, p.4), chair of the Commission which produced the Power to the People report (2006) denies this, saying that despite â€Å"no longer want[ing] to join a party or get involved in formal politics,† people instead take direct action by raising money for charities, joining protest marches, signing petitions and undertaking volunteering work within their communities. The possibility for differing definitions of key outcomes is a disadvantage for comparative analysis. A study that defines participation in terms such as voting or contacting politicians will conclude that political participation has decreased and supports the political apathy theory, whereas, a study such as the Citizen Audit (2001), using â€Å"unorthodox† definitions, such as membership of political organisations (anything from trade unions to community groups) or financially supporting activist organisations, find that participation is still strong. The Citizen Audit â€Å"found that approximately 40 per cent of adults belong to at least one political organisation† (Smith, 2005, p.83)  and â€Å"there is little evidence of widespread apathy† (Smith, 2005, p.84). When trying to create policies to increase political participation, these conflicting results are unhelpful. Following a 2002 European Union directive, which required member states to â€Å"promote equality in relation to sexual orientation, age and religion in addition to race, gender and disability† (Squires, 2005, p.119), European governments began to initiate changes to the way women were represented within parliament. Governments did not necessarily choose the same initiatives and comparative analysis is useful to identify quickly the comparative success of each government’s initiatives. (See table 1, Appendix). Political systems are hugely complex and as Dobson states; â€Å"Each day most of us find ourselves describing, explaining and predicting something. Comparative politics is no more, then, than carrying out these apparently basic human activities in the context of what we are calling ‘political worlds’ † (Dobson, 2005, p.143). Comparing what happens in different countries or different political systems enables the analysis of differences and similarities and thereby, identifying factors that can be applied generally to simplify complex systems. For example Table 1 shows that Nordic countries have significantly higher levels of female participation in comparison to the UK. A policy maker, looking to increase participation by UK women, can then look at why there is such a large disparity between the two countries and whether there is something the UK could learn from Nordic policy. This illustrates another advantage of comparative study; it gives opportunity to expand one’s knowledge of political worlds. For comparison there must be at least two things to compare which must be evidently different. In political comparison, this is often two different countries and even if one is one’s own, the other will not be and â€Å"if we assume that knowledge of others is a prerequisite for finding our way around, and managing, a globalizing world, then comparative politics seems to be of increasing practical importance† (Dobson, 2005, p.143). Expanding one’s knowledge is generally auspicious and simplifying complex  information is usually advantageous although over simplification is a risk. Table 2 shows the same information as table 1 but for the elections that were held closest to the time of the aforementioned EU directive. Figure 1 shows the percentage point difference between both elections. Using this information, that same policy maker may feel that focussing on France’s policies would be of much greater value than that of the Nordic countries as, in only 10 years, France has almost doubled the amount of women who hold parliamentary seats. Comparing and ranking countries can be useful but, as illustrated here, it is only part of a story and great care must be taken when interpreting comparative data. Oversimplification is a distinct risk of comparative analysis. It is possible to mitigate the risk by undertaking more study, producing more data and a more sophisticated and detailed analysis to guide forecasting or policy change. It is important that one considers this potential issue when working with conclusions drawn from comparative analysis. In 2005 the Electoral Commission produced a research report, Social Exclusion and Political Engagement. Its aim was to explore â€Å"why those experiencing social disadvantage tend to also be the most politically excluded in society.† (Electoral Commission, 2005) Looking at the aim of this report highlights an advantage of using comparative politics but also a disadvantage. The advantage is that it allows testing of hypotheses; in this case, those who experience social disadvantage are more likely to be politically excluded. By comparing different circumstances, one can find out what factors affect the political situation in a country, giving an idea as to what particular social/financial or other conditions might give rise to say, reform or revolution in the future. The possibility to predict outcomes is especially important for politicians; â€Å"the possibility of knowing that under certain social conditions, policy X will produce outcome Y† (Dobson, 2005, p.144) all ows them to make informed policy decisions. The disadvantage is that in research, subjectivity and objectivity can sometimes be lost. Baxter, (cited by Dobson, 2005, p.146) points out; â€Å"Research is not a wholly objective activity carried out by detached scientists. It is a social activity powerfully affected by the researcher’s  own motivations and values.† In this case, the researcher(s) has(ve) already taken on the axiom that those with social disadvantages are politically excluded. This does not necessarily mean that conclusions drawn by social scientists are useless it just means that it is important that anyone working with these conclusions is aware that they â€Å"might be ‘contaminated’ by their [comparative scientists’] own motivations and values† (Dobson, 2005, p.154). The report drew together much information on the subject and found that the ‘working class’ (C2DEs) were 21 percentage points less likely to vote than the ‘middle class’ (ABC1), 60% to 41%. It also found â€Å"ABC1s twice as likely as C2DEs to take advantage of the opportunity to contact their elected representatives: two-thirds of those who present their views to their councillors or MPs are ABC1s†¦ Political activism is higher among ABC1s than C2DEs (23% as compared to 7%). Across a range of different activities which could still be defined as ‘political’, there is a correlation with class and income†¦ those in the lowest social class, the poorest in society and the less educated were less likely to be politically active than those who are in a higher social class† (Electoral Commission, 2005, p.9). This gives a lot of interesting information and seems to make it clear that there is a correlation between social class and political participation but then it could be argued that it does not really say anything useful. It illustrates a difference but it does not give any reason for this difference. It does not give any principles that one could draw from the comparisons to enable one to make wider or more generalised conclusions about what would lessen the gap. Anyone using the data runs the risk of putting their own interpretation on the results, as stated by Lewis (cited in Dobson, 2005, p.157) â€Å"the development of the comparatives’ tools seems to involve the interpretation of political reality rather than its simple and problem-free observation†. The other difficulty with this is that people interpret things in different ways and one person’s interpretation of these results might not be another’s. This runs the risk of further confusion rather tha n clarifying issues. To conclude, Dobson asks; â€Å"Whether, despite their peculiarities, we can build  theories for comparing political worlds that will enable us to offer general truths about them. Or are we only ever able to tell stories about them – stories rich in specific detail but devoid of generalizable truths?† (Dobson, 2005, p.140). Comparative analysis is a key tool in identifying trends in participation. It also allows for the testing of hypothesis and for simplification of complicated data, with the possibility of expanding ones knowledge; all notable advantages. However, the disadvantages of contamination and misinterpretation along with the possibility for over simplification reveal crucial limitations, meaning that comparative analysis offers little in the way of definitive predictions about or practical answers which could influence political participation. References BBC, 2006. Political system faces ‘meltdown’. BBC UK Politics. Available at: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/4753876.stm [Accessed 3 December, 2014]. Electoral Commission, 2005. Available at: http://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0007/63835/Social-exclusion-and-political-engagement.pdf [Accessed 4 December, 2014]. Dobson, A., Story telling and theory building: comparing political worlds. In: Lewis, P ed. 2005. Exploring Political Worlds. Milton Keynes, The Open University Smith, M., Taking part in politics. In: Lewis, P ed. 2005. Exploring Political Worlds. Milton Keynes, The Open University Squires, J., Common citizenship and plural identities: the politics of social difference. In: Lewis, P ed. 2005. Exploring Political Worlds. Milton Keynes, The Open University White, I., Power Inquiry, 2006. Power to the People: the report of Power, an Independent Inquiry into Britain’s Democracy. Commons Library Standard Note, Power to the People: the report of Power, an Independent Inquiry into Britain’s Democracy. Commons Library Standard Note. Available at: http://www.parliament.uk/briefing-papers/SN03948/power-to-the-people-the-report-of-power-an-independent-inquiry-into-britains-democracy [Accessed 3 December, 2014]. Whiteley, P.F., Pattie, C. and Seyd, P., Citizen Audit of Great Britain, 2000-2001 [computer file]. Colchester, Essex: UK Data Archive [distributor], March 2005. SN: 5099, http://dx.doi.org/10.5255/UKDA-SN-5099-1

MySQL server Essay Example for Free

MySQL server Essay When a client connects to the MySQL server, the server uses the username provided by the client and the client host to select the appropriate account row from the mysql.user table. It then uses this row to authenticate the client. Before MySQL 5.5.7, the server authenticates the password provided by the client against the Password column of the account row. As of MySQL 5.5.7, the server authenticates clients using plugins. Selection of the proper account row from the mysql.user table is based on the user name and client host, as before, but the server authenticates the client credentials as follows: The server determines from the account row which authentication plugin applies for the client. If the account row specifies no plugin name, the server uses native authentication; that is, authentication against the password stored in the Password column of the account row. This is the same authentication method provided by MySQL servers older than 5.5.7, before pluggable authentication was implemented, but now is implemented using two plugins that are built in and cannot be disabled. If the account row specifies a plugin, the server invokes it to authenticate the user. If the server cannot find the plugin, an error occurs. The plugin returns a status to the server indicating whether the user is permitted to connect. Whereas SQL Server supports two authentication systems, Microsoft Access supports three. Unfortunately, three is not necessarily better than two, and the Access security system is not suited for large enterprise usage. The most commonly used is Database Password. A database password is simply a password that Access prompts you to type in when opening the database. A database can have only one password. You cannot assign a different password to different users.

A bibliography of John Lennon

A bibliography of John Lennon Encomium about John Lennon Introduction Many of us disagree with moves taken by governments on specific political issues and thus choose to air our opinion as constitution permits. One of the major wars listed in history is the Vietnam War of the sixties and seventies that recounts in the history of United States of America. Most Americans were strongly against U.S. involvement in Vietnam War. John Lennon, one of the famous artists in America has ever wrote, produced and performed a song Give Peace a Chance to denounce this war (Marie 1). This is one of his major influences as a musician that reflected his views on war in general. This was one of the political influences of music during that time. He was outspoken and never shy of his opinions. His famous song Imagine where he sings I hope someday youll join us, and the world will live as one has up to date been his best worldly known song. The song is also an international anthem of peace. This proposal will show that John Lennon was such a great musician due to his outst anding imagery and involvement in social activism. Body John Lennon was born in 1940 in Liverpool, England. He was born and brought up in a working class family thus giving him an exposure to current music. This research will show that he was a character who got fascinated by musical styles like Elvis Presley. He managed to enter in a duet group that enabled him to work with Paul McCartney. He was the founder of the famous group the Beatles. His desire for music and profound artistry is seen after Beatles broke up in 1970. He proved how talented he was by producing duet albums with Yoko, his wife and other solo performances. He was a musician who presents eras of both history and music mainly because of his involvement with Beatles, his beliefs and attitudes. He managed to produce music that today helps us personify the 1960s and 1970s typical characteristics (Associatedcontent.com 1). As many would comment, they like music that has a message. John Lennon would always speak about everything that was in his mind through music. This will represent the typical feature of stoners, peace-lovers and hippies of that time (1970s). He was a shameless musician of whatever he felt. This is the prime reason why he is admired even today. Through expressing his opinions, he showed just how important these opinions were to him and this was to tell others that they could do the same. His opinions were expressed through actions, interviews and music. Apart from his song Give Peace a Chance he also decided to fight for peace when he lay in bed naked together with his wife for a month (Arkawy 1). The Beatles is one of the worlds greatest bands. Its through their work that the world changed its view on lyrics and musical styles. All these achievements are credited to John Lennon. He not only founded the band but also co-wrote and wrote most of its lyrics. He spearheaded major media relations as he was outspoken on his opinions and beliefs. At one time, there was a nationwide burning of their albums due to Lennons offensiveness in an interview. He however managed to keep the group together and strong by writing more songs. This shows how persevering he was. His 1970s lyrics up to date still inspires and influences. One such remarkable song was Imagine that he used in expressing his vision of peace, hope and a poverty free world. The 1970 plastic Ono band was a solo album that had songs that were so emotionally raw. This was the time when he built a sonic environment that had bass, occasional piano, guitar and drums. Imagine was a 1971 album that again shows how plainspoken he was but had more additions of textural elements like strings in order to create sense of beauty in his music. The title track in this album has ensured its historical importance. Since then, this track has provided inspiration and solace in moments of humanitarian and social crisis. This paper will show that one of the major contributions in rock and roll in the 70s actually came from Lennon. Through his work and partnership with Paul McCartney, he presented himself as a singer, an instrumentalist and a political activist. He was a man with a knack for introspection and a cynical edge. It is important to pay tribute to such artists like John Lennon and others who had to voice their political concerns through music (Ringo 1). Buffalo Springfield, Creedence Clearwater Revival and Bob Dylan are others who were like him. From time to time they would express their views through music so that they are heard by the public. Perhaps it is because of John and other artists that wars like the Vietnam War came to an end. Conclusion Lennon was a musician whose works warrants more research as he demonstrated how strong he was as a musician. He will be remembered as one of the best activists, husband, musician, a father and most of all a source of inspiration. This is a man who spent the very last years in his life devoting it to spreading of love and peace to the youth. Through his music, he changed the world. He forced the whole world to question war and thus work towards a world of peace. Somebody like Martin Luther King Jr. is remembered for his contributions in the civil rights movement. John Lennon also left a significant impact in music as for sure, he is one of the rock stars. His songwriting partnership is one of the most successful in the 20th century. In rock and roll history, we cant mention popular music in this genre without tracks of John Winston Ono Lennon. Works cited Arkawy, Amy. Still Imagining Peace: John Lennons Legacy, 2009. Retrieved from http://newsjunkiepost.com/2009/12/08/still-imagining-peace-john-lennons-legacy/ Associatedcontent.com. John Lennons Influence on Rock and Roll, 2008. Retrieved from http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1125638/john_lennons_influence_on_rock_and_pg2.html?cat=33 Marie. Political influence on music in the 60s and 70s, 2008. Retrieved from http://mariepoetryofsong.blogspot.com/2008/10/song-analysis-of-give-peace-chance.html Ringo, Sofia. Make October 9 National John Lennon Day! 2008. Retrieved from http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/213565590

Our Own Words: A Studentss Guide to First-Year Writing Essay -- Perso

Our Own Words: A Students's Guide to First-Year Writing I was born in Bulgaria, the Land of Roses, a â€Å"Wonderland† amongst others in Eastern Europe. After living there for eight years under the influence of communism, my family and I were eager to depart and head for America - â€Å" The Land of Opportunity.† The adjustments I had to make to my unknown surroundings in the United States were not easy or pleasant. My number one priority was to continue my education and, without hesitation, I was quickly enrolled in an English speaking elementary school. Aside from enduring scrutiny from my classmates, my toughest engagement was conquering the English language. I did not know the simplest words and, in fact, began by learning the totally unfamiliar English alphabet. I believe that my contempt for writing was influenced twelve years ago by my arrival in a foreign country with a bizarre and confusing language. After all, how can a language that consists of twenty-six letters incorporate millions upon millions of words? Because English was not native to me, I had to struggle to overcome the language barrier throughout my elementary school years. Most of my time was spent mastering the language itself and, in doing so, I missed out on the basic writing techniques that most American students were learning. While I was learning my ABC’s, they were introduced to the idea of expanding their vocabulary, increasing their use of proper punctuation and adapting to the â€Å"correct† way of spelling simple words. On the other hand, I was still trying to remember the meanings of elementary vocabulary words like library, wheelchair, and of course how could I forget, the difference between â€Å"redâ€Å" and â€Å"readâ€Å". Even the most si... ...ple who are successful not because of their intelligence level, but because of their HARD WORK. I consider myself to be one of those hard working individuals and although I am not the â€Å"prime â€Å" example of success, I do hope that younger generations can look up to me and realize that success comes with a lot of hard work! It doesn’t come easy and sacrifices often have to be made. Looking ahead at my future, I am not sorry to see that writing will play a major role in my lifestyle. As a television broadcaster, I am going to be utilizing writing on a daily basis, but for some reason that doesn’t bother me as much as I expected it to. Maybe I am finally outgrowing this stage of detestation and realizing the positive impact writing can have on my surroundings and me. I hope that, one day, my writing will reach a level that can change society for the better.

Cultural Values and Personal Ethics Paper -- Morals Ethics Decision ma

Cultural Values and Personal Ethics Paper Personal, organizational, and cultural values are the basis of an individual's personal and professional decision-making style. These values are the key ingredients that make up our core beliefs. Values are ideas that are actions which could be right or wrong, good or bad that are the basis of human action (Tosi 2000). Personal values might also be called morality, since they reflect general expectations of any person in any society, acting in any capacity. These are the principles we try to instill in our children, and expect of one another without needing to articulate the expectation or formalize the process in any way. Family is the first school for a child where the seeds of cultural values are sown (Jain para 6). Cultural values are the beliefs of a human group that one can identify. Cultural value is the newest terminology which is used in literature on international relationships and economics. Individuals acting in an organization take on an additional burden of ethical res ponsibility. For example, organizations have codes of ethics that prescribe required behavior within the context of a professional practice such as medicine, law, accounting, or engineering. These written codes provide rules of conduct and standards of behavior based on the principles of Professional Ethics (Colero para15). Personal Values My personal values include hard work, honesty, achieving success in life, being flexible and helping others. My values evolve around leading a fulfilling lifestyle that allows me to be a supportive, loving and contributing member of my family and community. A clear picture of our personal values allows us to rank the tasks on our "to do" lists according to how closely... ...dividual Employees in Organizations-An Integration Framework. Journal of American Academy of Business, Cambridge (8) 2, 105-112. Retrieved March 30, 2006 from EBSCOhost Database. Payne, Neil. (Feb 2006)International affairs: in today's global market, knowing how to conduct cross-cultural meetings is essential.(Motivation). In Kitchen & Bath Business, 53, p30(1). Retrieved April 03, 2006, from InfoTrac OneFile Siva, Manu. Difference in Cultural Values. India Today (20) 3. 45-48 Retrieved April 03, 2006 from http://www.indiatoday.com. Soin, Raj. Clarifying and Applying Personal Values: Priorities and Integrity Retrieved. April 1, 2006 from http://www.wright.edu/~scott.williams/skills/values.htm Tosi, Henry L (2000). Cultures: National and Organizational. Managing Organizational Behavior, 4th Edition, 341-383. New York: Blackwell Publishers

Creative Art Therapy: Essay -- essays papers

Creative Art Therapy: Creative art therapy is a technique that implements theory of three major schools of thought: PSYCHODYNAMIC HUMANISTIC BEHAVIORISM „Y Uses: Therapists use this implementation of theory and introduce this technique to the client at the appropriate time to facilitate creativity, personal growth, and therapeutic change. PSYCHDYNAMIC Creative art therapy can be used as a medium to capture hidden impulses, and emotions. This technique also helps to explore unconscious secret desires and fears. Jung ¡Ã‚ ¦s regard for imagination and creativity as one of the major forces of healing. Jung also introduced therapist to the role of active participant in the creative endeavor. Free association „ « HUMANISTIC „ « Creative therapy helps client move towards self-discovery. The client sees self emerge through the development process. (Positive self regard) „ « Art therapy can be used to help the client feel more relaxed in the therapeutic setting. (self disclosure) „ « This technique can be used as an  ¡Ã‚ §active listening ¡Ã‚ ¨ tool to help client express emotions or feelings that can not be verbally expressed. „ « Art therapy encourages the client to view themselves as individuals. „Y BEHAVIORISM „Y Art therapy can be used to modify maladaptive behaviors. „Y True art therapist may have a great deal of difficulty with the above because this approach may be viewed as conforming as opposed to individualization and creativity. „Y (For this purpose, I will not spend much time on this approach) Focus Population of creative art therapy: All; depending on the specific technique being used. Who are art therapists? „Y Art teachers „Y Psychotherapist „Y Psychologist „Y Creative specialist „Y Social workers „Y Psychiatrists Do I have to be artistic? „h No, the therapist does not have to be artist. Artistic ability is not the focus of art therapy. Art students who practice art therapy are sometimes considered possible liabilities because they may be more artistic than the client and the possibility of critiquing the clients work. „h Creative art therapy is not about what the finished product looks like, but what it represents in the form of expression.(the client ¡Ã‚ ¦s) Important to note: „h Exhibition of client ¡Ã‚ ¦s artwork for others to see with out written consent is an invasion of the client ¡Ã‚ ¦s privacy! Æ’Ã ¡ Some E... .... Function:Information gathering Child, adult „h Kinetic family drawing ¡Xclient uses paper, pencils, crayons to draw a picture of a family doing some thing together. (Rapport builder, gather information about other family member. Client verbalizes where he or she fits in the family.) „h Scribble drawings ¡Xtherapist and client take turns drawing scribble while other verbalizes an image. (Builds rapport, becomes a transitional project) „h House plan ¡XTherapist either uses dollhouse or draws a house plan. Client draws or positions family of dolls in areas of the home. (Information gathering. Awareness of roles and relatedness to family and environment) Function: Family or group therapy „h Murals or collages ¡Xtherapist provides pictures, magazines, paper, glue, scissors, markers, etc. Therapist also chooses a relevant topic. The group of family work as individuals and as a group to convey a feeling or message through the artwork. (issues are open) Function: Past becoming present Geriatrics „h Treasured objects ¡Xclient is asked to bring in most precious possessions. Sharing of meaning and related experiences to the objects. (Self  ¡Vdisclosure building trust, active listening)

Underage Driving

TEEN TRAFFIC Attention! Attention! Attention! If you are a teenager or a parent of one then – it is a MUST for you to read on. It is very important for you to know that driving and especially underage driving is a potentially â€Å"risky activity†. Nowadays, in the times of modernization and the exposure, the teenagers are getting, they find it difficult to resist the temptation of driving before the right age. Due to peer pressure and to look cool, most teenagers start driving at an early age.It gives them a feeling of invincibility, freedom and independence. But is this rosy world of teens as beautiful as they think it is? Well, let’s see. It is true that anyone driving on the roads is quite in danger of meeting with an accident and teens between the ages of 16 yrs to 19 yrs are more vulnerable to it. The reason being that they are the most inexperienced when it comes to matters of the road. It has been found that the most number of people jumping a red light, taking illegal turns or driving with too many pillion riders are teens.Compare and Contrast Driving in the Winter and Driving in the SummerThey are even found wanting in the use of seat belts. Teens are the ones who usually meet with more number of accidents due to their immaturity as they often underestimate the seriousness or danger involved in a situation. They are wild by nature and high in spirits and also quite carefree. The fact that they are breaking rules and still not getting caught gives them a feeling of boldness. They often wear an attitude that says – ‘I can get away with anything and everything†.But ask the families who have lost one of their dear ones due to road accidents and are suffering now but also repenting at the same time due to their only mistake of allowing their young child to drive prematurely. Well, the fact remains that parents who allow their kids to drive on the roads whether, only for making their lives easy as the teens have to ru sh from their schools to tuition classes, don’t even think twice about its consequences. Statistics say that 1400 adolescents died due to underage driving in India in the year 1999 and the numbers keep increasing drastically every year.I feel that the leniency of the traffic police and negligence of the parents is the main cause of this problem. I don’t understand why is it so difficult for the traffic police to keep a check on underage driving as anyone in a school uniform driving a vehicle is underage. Traffic rules should be carefully explained and strictly enforced in all places. The police should be strict and should levy heavy fines on the offenders. Parents should also guide their wards in obeying traffic rules.The teenagers should be made to realize that driving is full of responsibilities and is a very serious issue. It involves the safety of not only their lives but also the other traffickers. The most important thing is that if the parents set an example by obeying traffic laws then their children will respect the law too. The schools can also contribute by making the students aware of the dangers involved in driving and the responsibility that comes with it. I feel that a combined effort of the police, parents and the schools will certainly help to reduce this problem to a great extent. Underage Driving TEEN TRAFFIC Attention! Attention! Attention! If you are a teenager or a parent of one then – it is a MUST for you to read on. It is very important for you to know that driving and especially underage driving is a potentially â€Å"risky activity†. Nowadays, in the times of modernization and the exposure, the teenagers are getting, they find it difficult to resist the temptation of driving before the right age. Due to peer pressure and to look cool, most teenagers start driving at an early age.It gives them a feeling of invincibility, freedom and independence. But is this rosy world of teens as beautiful as they think it is? Well, let’s see. It is true that anyone driving on the roads is quite in danger of meeting with an accident and teens between the ages of 16 yrs to 19 yrs are more vulnerable to it. The reason being that they are the most inexperienced when it comes to matters of the road. It has been found that the most number of people jumping a red light, taking illegal turns or driving with too many pillion riders are teens.Compare and Contrast Driving in the Winter and Driving in the SummerThey are even found wanting in the use of seat belts. Teens are the ones who usually meet with more number of accidents due to their immaturity as they often underestimate the seriousness or danger involved in a situation. They are wild by nature and high in spirits and also quite carefree. The fact that they are breaking rules and still not getting caught gives them a feeling of boldness. They often wear an attitude that says – ‘I can get away with anything and everything†.But ask the families who have lost one of their dear ones due to road accidents and are suffering now but also repenting at the same time due to their only mistake of allowing their young child to drive prematurely. Well, the fact remains that parents who allow their kids to drive on the roads whether, only for making their lives easy as the teens have to ru sh from their schools to tuition classes, don’t even think twice about its consequences. Statistics say that 1400 adolescents died due to underage driving in India in the year 1999 and the numbers keep increasing drastically every year.I feel that the leniency of the traffic police and negligence of the parents is the main cause of this problem. I don’t understand why is it so difficult for the traffic police to keep a check on underage driving as anyone in a school uniform driving a vehicle is underage. Traffic rules should be carefully explained and strictly enforced in all places. The police should be strict and should levy heavy fines on the offenders. Parents should also guide their wards in obeying traffic rules.The teenagers should be made to realize that driving is full of responsibilities and is a very serious issue. It involves the safety of not only their lives but also the other traffickers. The most important thing is that if the parents set an example by obeying traffic laws then their children will respect the law too. The schools can also contribute by making the students aware of the dangers involved in driving and the responsibility that comes with it. I feel that a combined effort of the police, parents and the schools will certainly help to reduce this problem to a great extent.