(6/1/98) Suburbia is about to become more inconvenient for teenagers. The New Jersey Senate recently passed a graduated license program, which is similar to programs in California, Colorado, Florida, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.
At the moment, New Jersey teenagers can get a full license when they turn 17. Under the new program, 17-year-olds will receive a provisional license that forbids them from having more than one passenger in the car unless the passenger is over the age of 21 or lives with the driver. The driver also cannot drive between midnight and 5 a.m., except for religious reasons, emergencies, or employment.
The state claims that it wants to reduce accidents but the Senate's real motivation is to control the lives of teenagers. Driving may be dangerous but many people are willing to accept the risks. And if the other people don't want to be on the road with 15-year-old drivers, then they should build their own road.
Vote for Libertarian politicians who will sell the roads to private companies that are more likely to base their driving rules on skill rather than age.
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