Parents of teenage drivers often experience a sense of worry when their children start driving. In Alabama, there is a proposed bill in the Legislature that aims to address this concern by requiring parents to be notified if their child receives a traffic citation.
The bill was passed by the House of Representatives on Thursday and will now proceed to the state Senate.
The tragic loss of two lives has served as inspiration for the bill.
April Vafeas tragically lost her oldest son, Tyler, whom they affectionately called T.J., in a devastating car accident on June 18, 2022.
T.J. died instantaneously, according to her. His girlfriend, Lexie, passed away four days after the incident.
After the tragic loss of her son, Vafeas found the inspiration to push for a change in the law. In the aftermath of his passing, she came across the startling revelation that he had received three traffic tickets during his teenage years for not wearing a seat belt.
Vafeas took to Facebook to share her thoughts on the matter. Interestingly enough, her high school classmate, state Rep. Jamie Kiel, stumbled upon her post and decided to get in touch with her. This simple interaction sparked the idea for a potential new law.
Kiel explained that the system sends notifications to parents if their child commits a traffic infraction.
The lawmaker describes the bill as a measure aimed at protecting parental rights.
According to the expert, parents should be aware if their child is driving their car and using their insurance. He emphasized the importance of knowing if their child has any traffic infractions. He pointed out that children may have their own money, jobs, and funds, which means that they could potentially handle the expenses related to traffic violations without their parents’ knowledge. This could include paying for tickets or attending traffic court and driving school without the parents ever finding out.
Vafeas expresses her regret for not being informed about T.J. receiving three tickets. She, along with Kiel, hopes that this bill will be effective in preventing accidents and saving lives.
Kiel expressed his hope that a child would take the initiative to buckle their seat belt or drive more cautiously as a result of their parent’s increased awareness of road safety.
Vafeas expressed his feelings, saying, “I can’t say for sure if it would have made a difference for my family, but I would have appreciated the chance to discuss it with him before it became too late.”
Vafeas witnessed the passing of the bill at the Statehouse.
Kiel expressed his confidence in the passage of the bill in the Senate and its subsequent approval by the governor.
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