In New Jersey, drivers under 17 are required to put a red decal on their license plates that alert police that a teenager is driving the car. The decals make it easier to identify and pull over teenagers who choose to break the law and drive after 11 p.m. or carry more than one passenger without an adult in the car.

While the law was challenged on police profiling grounds, the Supreme Court of New Jersey upheld it in August 2012.

Due to their inexperience and still-young frontal lobes, teenagers are more likely to be involved in car accidents than other age groups. In fact, teenagers are three times more likely to be killed in car accidents than drivers over 20 years of age. Motor vehicle accidents kill more teens than any other cause of death. Teenager drivers often underestimate dangers, take risky actions, fail to wear seatbelts and simply make poor choices while driving.

That is why this law was enacted in 2010.

The CHOP study proves that it is effective. Researchers studied the difference between monthly accident rates between 2008 and 2011 and found that car accidents caused by teenage drivers decreased 9 percent overall and 13 percent after midnight.

Of course, teenage drivers are still on the road and accidents still occur. If you have been injured by a teenage driver or your teenager was injured in a car accident, you may be able to recover compensation for your accident injuries, rehabilitation costs, pain and suffering, and other damages. Learn more by visiting our pages on motor vehicle accidents.

Source: The Inquirer, “Car-tag decals are saving young drivers’ lives,” Nov.1, 2012