Car crashes are the No. 1 killer of teenagers between the ages of 17 and 20 in the United States. Fatality rates are also four times larger among teen drivers. Sickening facts like these may be attributed to the inexperienced and easily distracted teen drivers on the roads. Add in the teenage thrill of speeding and not wearing a seat belt and one has a recipe for destruction.
The Governor’s Teen Driver Study Commission, however, feels that it is time that the New Jersey community started saving lives of young drivers by reviewing the Graduated Driver’s License (GDL) laws and process in order to reduce crashes and protect teens.
The commission met on Nov. 19 in order to reach out to the public as well as hear their views and suggestions on solutions to these issues. The commission aims to increase education through drivers education courses, encourage parental involvement, enforce the provisional laws of the GDL and come up with a way to identify provisional drivers.
There is a desperate need to bring attention to these issues and it seems by the empty seats in the Colts Neck High School auditorium in which the hearing was held that the community does not truly understand the hard work and need for the commission.
Commission Chairwoman Pam Fischer, director of the New Jersey Division of Highway Traffic Safety, believes that the key to getting people involved in the solution is understanding the commission’s purpose. Fischer explains that it comes down to saving lives and teaching this life skill – safely and successfully.
The public fails to realize their responsibility and power over the issue, perhaps due to their inability to feel the same passion of those who did attend the Nov. 19 meeting.
Most who spoke out with suggestions were those who had lost a daughter or a son, a friend or a cousin, a nephew or a niece in a car accident. How many more lives will it take to get people involved? Although some measures call for legislative action, lives will be saved when every parent, teacher, teenager and official not only recognizes the crucial role they play, but chooses to take responsibility and act to improve teen driving.
Rob Boutote, now a senior at Freehold High School, was a passenger in an accident that occurred during December 2004. Rob broke his back during this accident. When asked how he would heighten awareness of the issues that he is reminded of every day of his life, he stated that education is one of the many solutions to the problem.
“I think law enforcers should have open communications with the schools to come up with new ways of getting through to the kids, and their parents,” he said.
Rob even took to mentioning the beneficial mandatory safe driving presentation that the Freehold Regional High School District provides for their students and feels programs like that would be helpful. Starting education of safe driving earlier is also a key element of getting through to kids and parents.
Boutote continued, “The health classes in elementary and middle schools tell kids about drugs and alcohol well before any of those kids would do it anyway, so it can never be too early to inform kids about safe driving. Drugs and alcohol aren’t the No. 1 killer of teens, car crashes are.”
The commission will make its final recommendations to Gov. Jon Corzine by March 21, 2008, stated commission cochair Monmouth County Freeholder Barbara McMorrow. She asked that any member of the public who was not able to attend the Nov. 19 public meeting contact her office with suggestions to improve the GDL law. McMorrow may be reached via [email protected].
This article was written by Alexa Rozzi, who is a student at Freehold High School, Freehold Borough, and a participant in a program for student journalists that is sponsored by Monmouth County Freeholder Barbara McMorrow.