That three more teenagers have died while driving New Jersey roads is becoming all too common morning reading. The most recent deaths occurred on the afternoon of Jan. 10 in Monmouth County.
Perhaps excessive speed was a cause, perhaps not. Perhaps the teen driver was violating Graduated Driver License (GDL) provisions, which govern when and with whom teenagers may drive. Perhaps not.
What is not in question is that inexperience did play a part. Exacerbating this tragedy is the death of a school bus driver, a grandmother, who died in the same crash.
Without a doubt, it is long past time to revisit New Jersey’s GDL law.
Luckily, a bill (A-617/S-1962) has already been introduced in New Jersey’s Legislature to do just that. Our respective General Assembly representatives have passed this bill unanimously. AAA applauds their efforts to promote traffic safety.
Our state senators have not (acted). AAA hopes they will move quickly on this opportunity.
This bill – the Teenage Driver Safety Study Commis-sion bill – would empower New Jersey to enhance the states GDL law, giving it teeth by allowing a complete reassess-ment of teen driving laws in the Garden State. In addition, it may also spur the state Motor Vehicle Commission to finally and fully implement New Jersey’s GDL law by tracking GDL driver progress and violations.
AAA Clubs of New Jersey support this bill. AAA Clubs of New Jersey urge you to contact your state senators. Use AAA’s Legislative Action Center at aaa.com or use some other medium. Urge them to support the Teen Driving Safety Study Commis-sion bill. Demand they promote traffic safety on New Jersey roads for everyone.
Promoting traffic safety for teens, though, would be a great start.
David Weinstein
AAA Mid-Atlantic
Hamilton Township