A collaboration with the Westfield High School Journalism Program

Kyleigh’s Law Has the Right

Intentions but the Wrong Impacts

Would you be willing to visibly advertise your age everywhere you travel? It is safe to assume that many people would say no, but for adolescent drivers in New Jersey, this is a requirement as a result of Kyleigh’s law.

Kyleigh’s law was first implemented in 2010 in response to the death of Kyleigh D’Alessio, a passenger in a car accident in which the driver disregarded the passenger limit allowed by the Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) program. This law, which requires drivers under 21 with a probationary driver’s license to display red decals on their license plates, was intended to help ensure that teen drivers are following the rules of the road, especially GDL laws such as driving curfews, passenger limitations and rules regarding the use of mobile devices while driving.

This law is a seemingly innocuous rule that ensures the safety of adolescent drivers, yet there is little evidence that the law actually contributes to what it sets out to accomplish. In 2010, the year in which Kyleigh’s law was first introduced, an nj.gov report revealed that 28 New Jersey drivers ages 16 to 20 were involved in a fatal car accident. While the addition of Kyleigh’s law should have lowered this statistic, a 2019 nj.gov report revealed that the statistic increased to 51 New Jersey teen drivers involved in fatal accidents.

Even in scenarios in which an accident did not occur, New Jersey teens admit to defying Kyleigh’s law. An anonymous 17year-old from Westfield said, “I don’t have the decals on my car because I feel like it makes me into a target. I think Kyleigh’s law is obsolete because very few people obey the law and, like me, drive past the curfew or with more than one passenger.” Numerous high school students have shared similar experiences, and so a question arises: if Kyleigh’s law is not an effective preventative measure against the violation of GDL regulations, then what purpose does it serve?

Kyleigh’s law places a bullseye on a vehicle, thus making teens much more susceptible to punishments for actions that an older driver might have gotten away with.

Kyleigh’s law not only makes young drivers more easily detectable to police officers, but also predatory adults on the road. By placing the red decals on one’s license plates, a young driver is advertising that they are under 21 years old to all other drivers on the road. Whether in a parking lot or on the highway, ill-intentioned adults are made aware that there is an adolescent in their presence.

According to a 2022 report from stalkingawareness.org, 19 percent of female high school students and 14 percent of male high school students experienced stalking. Moreover, 25 percent of adult stalking victims within this study revealed that they were pursued prior to reaching 18 years of age.

Forcing teen drivers to exhibit a red decal on their license plates threatens their safety on the road or in parking lots, as young drivers can now be clearly recognized by adults looking to take advantage of teenagers.

The trepidation that stems from becoming a new, independent driver is overwhelming in and of itself, and Kyleigh’s law only heightens the stressful nature of driving. Although Kyleigh’s law was created to help create a safer driving environment for adolescents, its ramifications may be creating an adverse effect that puts young drivers at risk.

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Editor’s note: This will be the final Student View column for the 2023-24 school year. The column will return in September. The staff of The Westfield Leader and Union County HAWK would like to thank all of this years’ contributors and wishes the class of 2024 the best of luck in their future endevours!