Teen Drivers and Red Decals?

Red License Decal for NJ Teens?

As a teen from NJ who is going to be driving very shortly, this news affects me directly. Starting on May 1st, every person who is under the age of 21 with a provisional license will need to have a red decal on both license plates to identify them. The law is called Kyleigh’s Law after Kyleigh D’Alessio, a teenager from NJ who died in a car accident in a car being driven by a teenager. The justification for the decals, which are sticker like, is to identify teenagers who are past their curfew or breaking the regulations of the provisional license. Furthermore, the provisional license is now called a probationary license under this new law. The law also includes stricter rules for teenage drivers. Refusal to wear the decal will result in $100 fine.

Teenager drivers are sometimes reckless and I am the first to admit it. I see the teenagers at my high school who can already drive and some of them (mainly the boys) driving out of the parking lot as if it was a parking lot. But then again, I’ve also seen some forty year olds do the same at the parking lot in Shop Rite. Some teen drivers are actually better than some of the adult drivers that are on the street today. Move along, I do realize that the statistics for teenage deaths in automobile accidents are high, higher than any other age group. The thing that does not sit right with me is that when I get behind the wheel in a couple of months, I will have to wear the decal and announce to the road that I am under the age of 21.

When I saw this on the news, I had a conversation with my mom about it. She totally agrees with it because she says that teenagers are reckless drivers, which some are. I told her that I didn’t agree with it because I didn’t feel comfortable being discriminated because of my age. I don’t know how I will be as a driver, but I will try my best to not be reckless and to be careful. If I am following the rules, why should I or any teen driver that is following the rules be singled out? Why should we be forced to wear a red decal announcing to the world that we are under the age of 21?

“But it’s just a small decal.” I know it is. “It’s only until you are 21” I know it is. “You’re making an elephant out of a small fly.” Maybe I am, but I feel strongly against these decals. One of the first things I question about the decal is how is it going to keep people safe? I know why it is being justified, but will a red decal bring more trouble knocking on my window than it’s worth? Will police officers single out teens because of what they have on the license plates? I don’t know, I can’t answer these questions right now. Maybe yes, maybe police officers will choose to focus on teenager drivers and their mistakes. Maybe some will abuse their power somehow. Maybe no, maybe they won’t even care. I don’t know what will be the outcome of the decal, but I don’t feel comfortable having it.

On the point of age discrimination, I realize that minors do not have full rights. They have curfews; they still have to follow certain rules that adults don’t such as drinking ages. However, just because we have some rights taken away from us or rather “placed on hold until further notice” how far is too far? Should teenagers be able to keep their age private? Sure, the decal represents anyone who is under the age of 21 and driving. In NJ that would range anywhere from 16 (although now 17) to 21, but it’s still giving the other drivers on the road a general idea of the age of the passenger (since the decal has the ability to be taken off, parents can take it off and not have the risk of being pulled over). I’m one to keep many things private (even my name). Am I entitled to keep my age private or at least the range of my age?

On a more paranoid note, there are crazy people out there. Having a decal on my car that tells people I’m under the age of 21 worries me. I mean, would it be strange to be followed in a car by someone because they noticed that you were young and vulnerable? With the new rules being implicated, we are not allowed more then one passenger unless a parent is in the car, which means, we are more likely to be alone or with just one other person. Perhaps I’m taking it a step too far, but it is possible.

So, finally to conclude my rambling, are there any NJ teens here? If yes, what do you guys feel about this law? Do you like it or not like it? Do you think it will help reduce deaths? To people outside of NJ or the US, what do you think about this law? It is the first passed in its kind and therefore we are the first state to have something like this. Is this something you would like implicated in your state/country?

The decal costs $4.00 and they are available in your local MVC for New Jerseyans. All teen drivers must have them on their car on May 1st or risk paying $100.00.