In an effort to cut down on car collisions involving young drivers, New Jersey slapped red decals on the license plates of teens with provisional licenses two years ago and it seems to be working, says a new study. The thinking being if it’s easier for cops to spot teenagers eschewing curfew rules, they can bust said youngins before they hurt themselves or others by driving irresponsibly, or simply because of lack of experience.

The study’s findings say those decals appear to be working, reports CBS Philly, and has already been cited by the AAA and politicians in New Jersey who are proponents of the square red stickers.

The study was conducted with the Center for Injury Research and Prevention at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and found that it’s made it much easier for police to identify those drivers operating vehicles on graduate driver’s licenses.

“They decreased the rate of police reported crashes among probationary drivers by 9 percent, and they also look like they supported the ability of police officers to enforce important GDL restrictions,” says the study’s author.

Teens were getting 14% more tickets when it came to violating curfew, flaunting passenger restrictions and other rules. Better to get a ticket than to get into an accident, even if your mom won’t let you drive yourself to school (so embarrassing!).

Teen Drivers Working In New Jersey [CBS Philly]

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