I think if they would just say 16/17 year old's...could only be out driving between 0600 and 2000...alot of the stupid accidents would end. But no state has the guts to do that. So I'm guessing raising the age to 17 is the only method they could enact without serious complaints.
They did it in MA. Kids get a Jr. Operator's License at 16 1/2 until they're 18, and with that they can only drive between 6am and midnight. It annoyed friends of mine whose kids had crew practice at 5:45 am because they'd still have to get up and take the kids who were not yet 18.