Bullshit! You can have it both ways. Think about it....he's on the verge of turning 18.......... 18 isn't some automatic age where POOF you know it all! The older you get, the more life experience you have, the more that is expected from you.
The answer to your question, he is a child, that is quickly becoming an adult. He should be able to make his own choices, and nobody is perfect, and we ALL make mistakes!!!! So, he is expected to make a few mistakes along the way. The most important thing when someone makes a mistake............did you learn from it? If you are making the same mistake over, and over, and over..........then something is wrong?!! But, most of us learn from our mistakes.
Who's asking this question? It sounds like an angry parent question!!!!!