New Jersey now requires all new drivers between the ages of 16 and 20 to affix a pair of detachable fluorescent red decals ($4) on their front and rear license plates during a provisional license period for a year. The statute, known as Kyleigh’s Law, began Saturday, May 1, 2010.
According to the Associated Press, “The law was named for Kyleigh D’Alessio, a 16-year-old central New Jersey high school student who was killed in 2006 while riding in a vehicle driven by another teen.”
The purpose of the law is to promote safer driving techniques among teens and to help police officers better enforce restrictions for first-time drivers. However, many teens dislike the new law, including NJ Governor Chris Christie’s 16-year-old son. However, as the first law in the state demanding teens to identify their inexperience, it’s no surprise many teens are pushing back.
Yet there are other important facts to consider, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that 3,500 teens in the United States aged 15 to 19 were killed in motor vehicle accidents in 2008. And more than 350,000 were treated for injuries suffered in crashes. The point of the law is to reduce the amount of deaths and injuries to teens. Do you think it will work?
