I grew up in Southern New Jersey when you could get your learners permit at the age of 16 but it doesn’t seem to be that way anymore.
New Jersey is one of 23 states with a graduated license system, where new drivers under the age of 21 are required to have a probationary license for a 12 month period which grants restricted privileges. Some things probationary drivers are limited to is a curfew between the hours of 11 PM and 5AM and how many passengers are allowed to be in the vehicle.
Today I saw that a new driving law will be going into effect in the state of New Jersey beginning May 1st. Probationary drivers less than 21 years of age must affix a removable red sticker to the upper left corner of the license plate that can be taken off. Dubbed Kyleigh’s Law after Kyleigh D’Alessio, a New Jersey 16-year-old who was killed by a driver on a probationary license. This law requires the driver pay $4 for the sticker that is required through the 12 month probationary period. If caught without the sticker a $100 fine can be assessed. The sticker also gives police probable cause to search the drivers’ vehicle.
I am not sure if I am for or against this law. I am trying to figure out how the red sticker makes the roads any safer. The only way I see the sticker being useful is if the driver is caught driving after 11pm and before 5am. Other then that I feel the stinker is going to be a form of profiling by police and by other drivers. Everyone is going to know what a red stinker on the drivers’ license plate means and I feel this could be used against the driver in forms of road rage and other angry actions. How is a red sticker keeping accidents from occurring? I feel that this is just another way for the state of NJ to collect more fees at the DMV.
Do you feel this will help avoid accidents in any way? Will this make the roads safer? What are your thoughts?
