New Jersey will become the first state to require decals on the cars of teen drivers when Kyleigh's Law takes effect on Saturday, and people are split on how they feel about the law.

The new mandate will require all motorists with a permit or provisional license to display a reflective red sticker on their front and back license plates. Not placing the decal on a car of a qualifying driver carries a $100 fine. They are available at $4 per pair and are available at any local motor vehicle agency.

The new law, named after 16-year-old West Morris Central student Kyleigh D'Alessio, aims to cut down on accidents among teen drivers. Donna Weeks, Kyleigh's mother, began lobbying for new legislation when her daughter and another high school student died in a 2006 crash in Washington Township.

Kyleigh's Law targets the most vulnerable of all age groups, teens. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Teen Driver Fact Sheet, "Per mile driven, teen drivers ages 16 to 19 are four times more likely than older drivers to crash." In 2008, 3,500 American teens between the ages of 15 and 19 were killed in motor vehicle crashes.

The law's intent is to cut down on the number of accidents by easing the identification of teen drivers for police officers. It would enable officers to more strictly enforce the restrictions placed on younger motorists. A driver who holds a provisional license may not drive between the hours of 11:01 p.m. and 5 a.m. and is only permitted to drive with a parant, guardian or dependent or one other passenger unless accompanied by a parent or guardian.

"I think that Kyleigh's Law will help across the board," said Millburn Det. Ed de La Fuente, who is one of the department's youth officers. "First of all, it opens parents' eyes to the restrictions that provisional licenses and permits place on teen drivers. Many parents are not fully aware of the restrictions that the GDL (Graduate Driver License) Program places on them. Also, young drivers will have more leverage against peer pressure. If their friends pressure them to break GDL requirements, a driver can point to Kyleigh's Law as another reason to follow the requirements."

Police Capt. James Miller, public information officer, agreed Kyleigh's Law would address the problem of motor vehicle accidents that teens face every day. "The new decal system will enhance a police officer's ability to enforce the Graduated Driver License law requirements. The GDL law was implemented to reduce the number of teen driver crashes in the state," said Miller in a press release.

Many parents seem to agree with Miller and De La Fuente. "It's definitely a positive thing, as long as it does promote driving safety and accomplishes what it is meant to," said Regina Conlon, a Millburn High School teacher and mother of two. While some high school students also appreciate the intent of the law, many do not share Conlon's view.

"I can't say I agree with it," said junior Mike Budlow, who received his provisional license two weeks ago. "I feel like it's an invasion of privacy and that my car shouldn't have to be marked just because I'm a certain age." Budlow voiced the concerns of age discrimination that many new drivers harbor.

"I don't think its fair either," said provisional license-holder Mo Dweck. "There aren't any laws like this for other age groups. What if they made senior citizens put stickers on their cars too? It's a little ridiculous."  

Some critics have expressed even darker concerns. They fear criminals will be able to easily target teenage drivers using the new, easily recognizable decals. In the early 1990's, tourists in Florida were targeted in a wave of bump-and-run robberies. What worries some New Jersey parents is they were targeted using license plate decals (distinctive Y's or Z's) that pointed them out as foreign tourists.

"I don't think that parents need to be worried at all about those incidents," said De La Fuente. "If a criminal really wanted to target a teenage driver, he could identify a younger driver by sight, so the decals don't create a new problem. Those previous events were isolated incidents."

Dade County, where the string of robberies took place, has a high crime rate. Also, tourists were reportedly led off track by misleading highway signs, many skewed by the winds of Hurricane Andrew.

But the decals may pose some minor inconveniences to the families of young drivers. Older drivers who share a car with a probationary license holder will have to remember to remove the decal when they take the wheel. Older drivers who forget to take off the red stickers may be pulled over by police officers attempting to enforce GDL guidelines. Simply maintaining responsibility for the decals and remaining conscientious about their application and removal, however, would solve this problem.

"As long as police officers are able to use the law to stop dangerous driving habits, I think that it is definitely a law people should support," said Conlon.

Some high school students agree the prospective difficulties that accompany the decals do not outweigh their potential benefits.

"I can see why some kids are opposed to it," said senior Samantha Meskin. "I don't really see a problem with it, though, if it does help to reduce the number of accidents."

"I don't see a problem with it either," added senior Jeff Eisenbud. "If it ends up helping younger drivers, then I'm for it."