Society has functioned for thousands of years while accepting slavery. Society has functioned for thousands of years while banning freedom of religion. Society has functioned for thousands of years without antibiotics etc. Just because we've done things for thousands of years, it doesn't mean we can't improve.

Your driving argument actually reinforces the parent's point. In most places in the world, you can't drive beyond a speed limit and you can't drive while drunk. These are restrictions on people's individual freedoms.