9. I’m worried this decal will make my teen the target of predators when she’s on
the road at night or at the mall.
Requiring teen drivers to display an identifier or decal on their vehicles when behind
the wheel is not a new concept. Many countries (including England, Australia,
Canada, Japan, and Germany, for example) have required the use of an identifier for a
number of years without a history of incident. Law enforcement officials point to the
Internet, not vehicle decals, as the primary means by which predators target children
and teens.
Being able to identify a teen driver is the single most vexing issue for those
responsible for administering and enforcing the provisions of the GDL law. The use
of a decal will remove the unlawful practice of profiling (assuming someone is a teen
holding a GDL because the driver looks young, drives a certain type of vehicle or is
leaving a school parking lot) from the equation and ensure that police only stop those
vehicles for curfew, cell phone and passenger restriction violations because the
vehicle is clearly marked.
10. Won’t the police use this decal to harass teen drivers behind the wheel?
Absolutely not. Law enforcement officials will use the decal to enforce the
restrictions of the GDL law which are in place to protect teens, their passengers and
everyone else on the road. As noted in the answer to question 9, being able to
identify a teen driver is the single most vexing issue for those responsible for
administering and enforcing the provisions of the GDL law. The use of a decal will
remove the unlawful practice of profiling (assuming someone is a teen holding a
GDL because the driver looks young, drives a certain type of vehicle or is leaving a
school parking lot) from the equation and ensure that police only stop those vehicles
for curfew, cell phone and passenger restriction violations because the vehicle is
clearly marked.
11. Once a teen completes the provisional (to be called probationary) license phase
of the GDL, what happens next?
At the completion of the provisional (probationary) license phase (a minimum of 12
months), a teen should return to the nearest Motor Vehicle Commission agency to
obtain a basic, unrestricted license. Once the teen has obtained a basic license, the
decal requirement and restrictions no longer apply. If a teen fails to return to MVC
after completing the provisional (probationary) license phase, the GDL restrictions
still apply. Teens should note that a basic, unrestricted license looks nearly the same
as a provisional (probationary) license, however, it will no longer display the yellow
stripe with the wording “provisional” or “probationary” printed across the top or the
“Z” restriction on the front (located in the center over the capitol dome) and back.
The basic license will also be printed on the vertical axis because the license holder is
not yet 21 years of age (that aids in easily identifying someone under the legal
drinking age). Upon renewal of the license on or after the teen’s 21
st
birthday, the