The College Voice

My 17-year-old brother laughs at me as he puts on his motorcycle helmet and heavy nylon jacket; he's all geared up for a ride around the neighborhood. I've just finished giving him my "motorcycles are too dangerous for any little brother of mine" speech and he doesn't take it too seriously. Like many young riders, he doesn't take the dangers of riding a motorcycle seriously either.

Young or old, any person who drives a vehicle assumes a level of responsibility for themselves and other drivers on the road. Young people in particular have difficulty recognizing this responsibility and often find themselves in accidents that could have been prevented had they been a bit older and in turn, more mature. This is not to say that every young person is irresponsible or every experienced rider is cautious. Studies show, however, that the brain is not fully developed until after the teenage years.

According to a collaborative study conducted by Cornell University, University of Rochester and the NYS Center for School Safety, "the greatest changes to the parts of the brain that are responsible for functions such as self-control, judgment, emotions and organization occur between puberty and adulthood. This may help to explain certain teenage behavior such as poor decisio nmaking and recklessness."

Current New Jersey motorcycle laws simply do not take this sort of scientific material into account and 17 years old is considered old enough to receive a motorcycle license. It is a scary fact that people with under-developed brains are allowed to control such dangerous and fast vehicles.

Our society has acknowledged the dangers of allowing young people to drive cars. There are laws in New Jersey that protect young drivers from dangers they face on the road. For example, first time drivers can't drive after midnight and are not allowed to drive with more than one passenger.

These are effective laws put in place to keep young car drivers safe on the road, but there aren't nearly as many when it comes to young motorcycle drivers. From the earliest stages, motorcyclists have an easier time obtaining a license, enabling them to glide effortlessly into the path of danger and perhaps death. Any person applying for a standard driver's license must first pass a road test to test their skills of driving, and applied knowledge of road rules. This is not always the case for motorcyclists. As stated on the Motorcycle Manual issued by the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission, "an applicant may obtain a road test waiver by successfully completing a Motorcycle Safety Education Program."

As for regulating drivers once they obtain a license, New Jersey laws are much more lax on motorcyclists than they are on drivers of automobiles. On the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) website you'll find how low the standards are for motorcyclists. One prime example is that there are no restrictions on helmet speakers, whereas in comparison, driving a car while using headphones will land you a ticket.

According to Consumer Reports. org, "Motorcycle deaths are on the rise, while automotive fatalities are decreasing. The trends do reflect an increasing number of younger motorcyclists piloting performance bikes, as well as continued improvement in car safety."

Car makers have the advantage of reinforcing the shell of a car to protect its passengers but there is no possibility of similar protection on a motorcycle. For many, the very appeal of driving a motorcycle lies in the danger of the activity and the adrenaline rush of accelerating to high speeds.

"Inexperienced riders cause many more crashes," says the New Jersey Department of Law and Public Safety on their website. They go on to say, "if you're involved in a motorcycle crash in New Jersey, statistics show that you have a 75 percent chance of being injured."

I'd like to think that with these facts, no parent or lawmaker would ever allow, or at least not encourage, new drivers to explore the congested and perilous roads of New Jersey on a motorcycle. Unfortunately driving motorcycles is allowed and the lax rules behind motorcycle laws and obtaining a license encourage it by making it easier to do than getting a driver's license. Each year more young people choose to ride motorcycles instead of opting for the protection of a full motor vehicle. Based on new studies on adolescent brains and the horrific statistics of motorcycle- related deaths, New Jersey simply should not allow young people to obtain motorcycle licenses.

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