“A Dangerous Law” by John Phalon
As of May 1, 2010 a new law was created for all New Jersey drivers with a provisional license. Originally, at 17, when you received a provisional license one could drive in the car with family members and one other person until 12:01am. The rule now states that anyone with a provisional license can only drive with one person in the car, they can not drive past 11:01pm, and a red sticker is required to be placed on the front and back license plate of your car.
The rules have changed due to Kyleigh D’Alessio’s death. Kyleigh died at the age of 16 in a car accident along with the driver of the car (another teen driver). After she passed away her mother worked hard to pass a law that would make teen driver “identifiable” to people on the road.
The problem is not limiting the number of people in the car, it is in fact the fact that teens are now made out to be “identifiable”. The red stickers make teens more vulnerable to rapists, murderers, and other criminals. The stickers are in fact unsafe making teens specific targets.
In Florida, in the 1990’s, a series of murders and robberies took place specifically to people who were using rental cars. The rental cars had different license plates, which made them stand out from other cars. In total there were 4,000 crimes related to the license plates. “When the assailants were caught, they said they prowled the roads looking for license plates with the telltale letter.” What makes the license plates any different than the bold red stickers?
Just like the Florida license plates, teens license plates stand out to. This is potentially extremely dangerous being that teens are younger and more susceptible to danger. Teens are also only required one other person in the car, making the situation even worse. Driving late at night home from jobs or a friends house is extremely dangerous because of the stickers. The teens are singled out among the rest of drivers.
Not only are 17 year olds susceptible to danger, they are targeted out to police to. It is easier for police to pull over naive and new drivers opposed to older more experienced drivers. It makes them more inclined to receive tickets.
What it comes down to is that the red stickers are extremely dangerous and unfair for teens. It targets them as inexperienced, vulnerable, and at risk.
Personally, I do not agree with the stickers. I find them to be extremely harmful. They increase crime, tickets, and hazards. The stickers came out on May 1, and my birthday was on May 13, I was supposed to drive with the stickers for 12 days, however my father felt that they were extremely unsafe. He told me he would rather me be pulled over by a police officer than targeted by a criminal. I completely agree, I felt the stickers were a violation of my rights, and were unsafe to me as a teen and young driver.
Phalon, John. "A Dangerous Law." NorthJersey. North Jersey Media Group, 4 Nov.
2010. Web. 4 Nov. 2010.
courts/safety/89658602_A_dangerous_law.html>.
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