Students, safety groups back bill to add sharing-the-road training to driver's ed

The committee voted to amend and release Senate Bill S4146 and its Assembly counterpart A4765, which would require driver education and testing on responsibilities when approaching and passing pedestrians, cyclists and other nonmotorized road users and expand the driver's manual to include safety guidance for nonmotorized users.

Multiple high-school students and youth advisory-board members testified in support, describing personal experiences and local tragedies to press for added training. Angelina Huang, video and social media director for the Nikhil Belani Youth Advisory Board from Burlington City High School, told the committee, "Supporting S4146 means supporting a gateway for lowering crashes and other tragedies all over New Jersey and New Jersey school zones." Another student, Miriam Mordian, said the bill would help drivers and reduce fatalities.

Support also came from Environment New Jersey, the New Jersey Bike & Walk Coalition and Tri-State Transportation Campaign, which the chair grouped with student testimony as a broad coalition urging passage.

Committee members said the bill addresses gaps in current driver education and recognized the students who testified. A roll call recorded affirmative votes from Senator Tyler, Senator Cruz Perez, Senator Berticelli, Vice Chair Mukherjee and the chairman; the bill was released with committee amendments to the manual and testing provisions.

Supporters said the measure aims to reduce pedestrian and cyclist injuries by ensuring new drivers learn how to share the road; opponents were not recorded in committee on this item.