Mike Deak|@MikeDeakMyCJ
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TRENTON - Ask any New Jersey teenager about the most anxious moment after turning17, and chances are most will say that, other than the awkward moment at the end of the prom, it's when they have to take the parallel parking part oftheir driver's test.
But that has become easier thanks to a law sponsored by state Sen. Kip Bateman (R-District 16) and signed into law this week by Gov. ChrisChristie.
The law allows drivers taking their road test to use a backup camera, which makesthe parking test a little easier.
READ:Christie helps Bound Brook teen get driver's permit
“In a few years, every new car will be required to have a rear-view camera,”Bateman said. “If every car is going to have them, new drivers should know how to use them.”
The law,S-1835, permits the use of backup cameras, as well as parking sensors, during road tests administered by the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission.
In 2007, Congress passed the Cameron Gulbransen Kids Transportation Safety Act, which requires all newly manufactured cars to be equipped with a backup camera by May 2018. The act was designed to reduce the number of accidents involving children, people with disabilities, and other pedestrians who are at the highest risk of being injured in back-over crashes.
“This technology makes driving easier and safer for everyone,” Bateman said. “These cameras and sensors are already in a few cars on the road, but soon, they’ll be a normal part of driving for anyone with a new car. If someone learns how to drive with a camera-equipped car, they should be allowed to use it for their road test.”
Staff WriterMike Deak: 908-243-6607; mdeak@mycentraljersey.com
