Kyleigh’s Law: A Teens Worst Nightmare

As an 18 year old, I feel that Kyleigh’s Law is not only fundamentally flawed but it also infringes upon my personal rights.   Kyleigh’s Law mandates that any driver under the age of 21 holding a  permit or probationary (formerly provisional) driver license buy a set of red decals, display them on the top left corner of the front and rear license plates of their vehicles, and be off the road by 11:00 pm.  

These decals do not serve to help teens drive safer; instead the stickers enforce the assumption that teenage drivers are less capable than other drivers, are prone to breaking laws, and that others on the road must be informed or really warned of their presence.  Additionally, these stickers also serve is to distract other drivers on the road, as their red color is as conspicuous as a stop sign. Further, this law allows police officers to subject teens to additional traffic stops.  The sticker will make the teen drivers less confident and can cause discrimination against them. 

Kyleigh’s Law was not passed because the law in place was ineffective.  In fact, the tragedy that caused the death of Kyleigh D’Alessio was a direct result of teenagers breaking the law.  There was already a law in place that prohibited a person with provisional driver license from having more than one passenger in the car.  Kyleigh was riding in a car with multiple passengers when the tragic accident that caused her death occurred. Everyone should agree that Kyleigh’s untimely death is a heartbreaking event.  However, Kyleigh’s Law is the result of  Kyleigh D’Alessio grieving mother working to implement as a lasting memorial to her daughter. She wanted the stickers on the cars to be orange, Kyleigh’s favorite color.

Laws are meant to appeal to a person’s ethical standards.  When Donna Weeks, Kyleigh’s mother, presented her plea to the New Jersey legislators, she appealed to their sympathies.  She told them of the circumstances surrounding Kyleigh’s death and how the loss of her daughter was certainly a tragedy.  She focused more on evoking the compassion of the legislators than on the formulation of a law that would logically prevent teen traffic accidents.  Kyleigh’s Law which has been enacted in New Jersey would not have prevented Kyleigh’s death.  It was her responsibility to obey the law already in place that prohibited her from driving with multiple passengers in the car.  

If Donna Weeks wanted to prevent teen accidents, she would make an effort to educate teens about the existing laws concerning driving and she would use her daughter’s story as a powerful example of what can happen if you do not obey the laws in place. To save lives, she should have also focused on the primary cause of teenage driving accidents which are alcohol related incidents. I do not approve of my rights being compromised without a probable cause and that is precisely what Kyleigh’s Law serves does to teenagers. 

I am very much in favor of any opportunity to address safety on the road for teenagers.  This can include additional mandated safety classes, increased education about alcohol and drug related accidents, and stricter penalties for driving offenses. At age 18, a teenager can start college, work a job, and join the armed forces.  Under Kyleigh’s Law, young person will not be allowed drive after 11:00 pm until they reach the age of 21. Kyleigh’s Law does not teach respect for the law and a sense of responsibility.