Legislation Will Help Boost Awareness of State’s Graduated Drivers License Program among Young Drivers
Assemblyman Vince Mazzeo introduced legislation Thursday to help boost awareness of New Jersey’s Graduated Drivers License (GDL) program amongst young drivers in order to prevent future tragedies.
The bill (A-3276), titled the “Mainland Memoriam Act,” is named in honor of four Mainland Regional High School football players who were tragically killed in a motor vehicle accident.
In August of 2011, eight players were traveling to meet their coaches and fellow teammates for a traditional end of summer breakfast to celebrate the last practice of summer when they were involved in a fatal motor vehicle accident on the Garden State Parkway, resulting in the death of four of the players.
“There’s nothing we can do to erase this unspeakable tragedy, but hopefully we can learn from it and save lives in the future,” said Mazzeo (D-Atlantic). “By promoting greater awareness of the state’s graduated driver’s license laws and the restrictions placed on young drivers, hopefully we can prevent more tragic motor vehicle accidents.”
In doing so, the bill would require motor vehicle dealers to provide written informational material on the state’s graduated driver’s license laws to a person buying or leasing a motor vehicle in order to increase awareness of these laws and their respective restrictions.
The Chief Administrator of the Motor Vehicle Commission would be required to create and distribute to motor vehicle dealers written informational material detailing graduated driver’s license laws. The dealer would then be required to distribute the informational material to the buyer or leasee of a motor vehicle.
Under New Jersey’s GDL law, drivers under the age of 21 may only drive with the following passengers:
* Special Permit Holders:
– Supervising driver who is over 21 and licensed to drive for at least three (3) years
– Parent, guardian or dependant
– One additional passenger unless accompanied by a parent or guardian.
* Examination Permit Holders:
– Supervising driver who is over 21 and licensed to drive for at least three (3) years
– Parent, guardian or dependant
– One additional passenger unless accompanied by a parent or guardian
* Probationary (formerly Provisional) License Holder:
– Parent, guardian or dependant
– One additional passenger unless accompanied by a parent or guardian.