TRENTON – Senator Ellen Karcher, D-Monmouth and Mercer, the prime sponsor of legislation which was recently signed into law to establish the “New Jersey Teen Driver Safety Study Commission” issued the following statement upon being selected by Senate President Richard J. Codey to serve on the panel:
“I’m excited to be able to continue working to improve teen driver safety, as a member of the Study Commission which was signed into law last week.
“This Commission needs to hit the ground running, and make needed recommendations to the Legislature, law enforcement community, parents, and everyone concerned with safety on our roadways to protect our kids from tragic auto accidents.
“We need to take a comprehensive approach to examining teen driver safety, and begin pushing for safer standards and greater education for our young drivers.
“Our kids know that a driver’s license brings new freedoms and opportunities. The day they receive a driver’s license is a milestone in every young person’s life.
“But they also need to know that a driver’s license brings a new level of responsibility.
“We need to impress on New Jersey’s teen drivers that the consequences of unsafe driving can be fatal.
“And we need to give our kids the education and training needed to avoid accidents and promote safe driving techniques.
“We cannot delay in our efforts to lower the accident rate for teens behind the wheel.
“As a mother of a teen driver, I know personally how hard it was to hand over the keys to my son. As parents, we’ll always worry about the safety of our kids.
“As a legislator and member of the Teen Driver Safety Study Commission, I am proud to be in a position to help shepherd the Commission’s recommendations into law, so that New Jersey takes a comprehensive and progressive approach to avoiding needless deaths on account of youth and inexperience behind the wheel.”