Parents: Kyleigh's Law Red Decals Raise Red Flag

Over the past month, new drivers around the state have been required to place red decals on their license plates as a safety measure under Kyleigh's Law, but some parents say it raises a red flag to others on the road that there's a teenager behind the wheel.

Kyleigh's Law was signed by former Gov. Jon Corzine in 2007 and took effect May 1. Named after Kyleigh D'Alessio, of Washington Township who was killed in a car accident in 2006 at the age of 16, the law requires all drivers with a permit or provisional license—now called a probationary license—to place red Velcro stickers on their license plates so police can better recognize young drivers on the road.

However, some are concerned the decals can alert the wrong person, too.

"You never know who is driving out there at 11 p.m. on a Friday night," said new driver and West Essex student Brittany Berman. "Some people do not have good intentions, and now everyone can tell when a 17-year-old is driving in front of them because of the stickers."

Some parents have even told their children to remove the stickers when driving at night, one West Essex student said.

While previous laws permitted provisional drivers to have an unlimited number of passengers from their household in the car and one passenger from outside of their home, Kyleigh's Law requires a maximum of only one passenger, regardless of their affiliation with the driver. The exception is that if the passenger is a guardian of the driver, more passengers are permitted in the car during that time.

The new law, the first of its kind in the country, also changed the nightly curfew of probationary drivers from midnight to 11 p.m. In addition, new drivers must also adhere to strict rules prohibiting the use of handheld devices while behind the wheel.

The red decals enable police to more easily identify young drivers late at night, using a handheld device or exceeding the passenger limit.

North Caldwell Police Chief Mark Deuer said he believes the law is an important safety measure, but also realizes parents' concerns regarding the decals.

"A lot of parents have expressed that concern and it's understandable that the decal may make someone aware of a young driver when they shouldn't know. But I think the law is great and really protects young drivers," Deuer said.

"Kids can't load up the car with five or six friends, who are talking, texting, playing loud music and creating all sorts of distractions for the driver. I think this law will help prevent some of those types of accidents we've seen where there have been cars loaded with kids."

According to Deuer, his officers are not yet actively enforcing the law and are allowing drivers a grace period so everyone—including members of his department—can gain a better understanding of the restrictions.

There's a $100 fine for not having the removable decals, which cost $4 a pair, affixed to your license plate, but some had difficulty obtaining them before the law went into effect.

"The DMV was running out of the stickers when I went to purchase mine in April," said 16-year-old Celina DeLuca. "I've heard stories about people having them stolen off of their cars because the DMV was sold out, and people are afraid to drive without them."

Kelly Mosser is a student at West Essex High School and part of the school's internship program with The Caldwells Patch.