A state lawmaker wants teens' cars to carry warning stickers, reports the Rocky Mountain News.

One of the recurring themes in much of my writing is freedom and liberty, and how these ideals are manifest or squelched by the actions of the state. Popular culture is full of allusions to similar themes. Occasionally though, life begins to imitate art in ways that even I would not expect!  Such is the case in this story from the Rocky Mountain News. From the article:

A Fort Collins lawmaker wants new teen drivers to attach a decal to their cars warning motorists of their highway inexperience.... The measure, floated by Rep. Randy Fischer, a Democrat, is based on a suggestion from a high school senior who said a decal could benefit new and veteran drivers alike.... Fischer has proposed a pilot program in which permit holders would have to display triangle decals on the back windows of their primary vehicles.

Of course, the work of art of which this proposed legislation reminds me is Hawthorne's magnum opus, "The Scarlet Letter."  Admittedly, the timing of the application of the label is different. In Letter, Hester Prynne commited adultery, and was forced to wear the A on her bosom after leaving prison. In the case of this legislation, the young driver would have the "young driver" decal installed on his car before he did anything wrong. It would therefore be something of a pre-infraction designator. According to Rep. Fischer, these decals could "give teens with learner's permits — typically teens 15 and older who must be with an adult family member — a bit more confidence." With all due respect to Rep. Fischer, I am having a very difficult time envisioning why the application of a decal that indicates that the driver of the car might be inexperienced would have any effect on the confidence of the driver. But maybe that's a small point.

The article further states:

Accidents account for 36 percent of deaths of 16- to 19-year- olds, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Teen drivers are four times more likely than older drivers to crash, says the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

Before these statistics lead to confusion or unnecessary debate, let us put them in perspective. I do not argue that inexperienced drivers are more likely to be involved in a collision. I do not debate that patience occasionally seems in short supply on the highways and byways. The statistical likelihood of a young driver being involved in an accident is neither in question, nor is it addressed by this legislation. The lack of patience cannot be addressed by this legislation, and that's what troubles me the most.

Stated differently, what one wants — what one needs — on the highway is not foolproof indication of the type of driver he may encounter. Yelling, gesturing, and leaning on the horn are behaviors that are the direct result of lack of manners, not lack of information. Returning to similarities between this decal legislation and Hawthorne's Letter, the message should be clear. What is needed is not judgement, but empathy. What is needed is less aggressive behavior and more patience. Placing a state-issued target on the cars being driven by teen-agers provides neither. Now, maybe, just maybe, people will decide to react differenty when they see one of these decals, but it seems to me that one should react with respect and courtesy no matter the decal or lack of one.

The non-aggression axiom informs us, and government-sponsored stickers cannot help.

Wilton Alston is a principal research scientist working in the field of transportation safety, specifically with regard to trains and transit. A libertarian activist and writer, and a speaker for the JBS Speaker's Bureau, Mr. Alston’s columns have appeared in such places as LewRockwell.com, Strike-the-Root.com and around the Internet blogosphere.

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