TRENTON, N.J. — Beware: There’s a beginner on board.
Officials say New Jersey has become the first state to require new drivers to display identifying decals on their vehicles in an attempt to curb teen driving deaths.
The law was signed Wednesday by Gov. Jon Corzine and takes effect next year.
Motor vehicle officials say the decals will probably be a small reflective rectangle attached to the front and rear license plates to help police enforce restrictions for provisional drivers, such as determining whether teens are violating the state driving curfew and passenger restrictions, said Pam Fischer, director of the New Jersey Division of Highway Safety. Authorities will not use the decals to target young drivers or pull them over for no reason, she said.
The decals are long overdue and will save lives, said Ron Gesualdo, owner of Gene’s Driving School in Matawan.
“The parents are for it,” he said. “The kids don’t say anything, but you know what they’re thinking.”
