My son has turned to 16, last month only and he is asking for a moped as his other friends too have. I feel that my son is not mature and sensible enough to know how and when to use the moped and at what pace to drive, feel free to go ahead.

Well, I were from 'oh ok I will think about it' and then I read news about the amount of teenagers involved in accidents and then think 'no way'

The fact that car or two wheeler crashes are the top cause of death for teenagers is enough to make many parents withhold the car/bike keys.

I think he is the type of guy who likes to be cool and might try to show it off by driving too fast or doing stunts, so I'm scared to death if it goes wrong to agree to his wish.

He is 16. I don't want him riding until he is 17 or 18. I'm planning to get him a moped that doesn't work but has most of its parts. He can learn valuable skills that he will use his whole life. He will learn to problem solve, research, try after failing, work on small engines, learn basic tools, be creative. The best part is it will likely take him a year or more to fix it if he has no previous skills. As a bonus I know what he is getting for gifts for the next year... moped parts/books/tools.

The rash driving, that's what worries me - the risks of accidents. He is a grown up boy but the roads are very busy round here. Mind you bikes put the fear of god in me.

Moped/scooters, due to the small size of their wheels, are even more dangerous than regular motorcycles. Neither is safe. At any age.