As the sponsor of the Graduated Driver’s License law in New Jersey, originally introduced in the Legislature more than 10 years ago, I feel I played an instrumental role in pushing for a safer path for new teen drivers to obtain a driver’s license.

In the years it took to draft the bill, I had worked with, and sought input from, relevant and knowledgeable agencies such as Mothers Against Drunk Driving ( MADD); the state Department of Law and Public Safety, Division of Highway Traffic Safety; the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration; Insurance Institute for Highway Safety; Association of Police Chiefs; American Automobile Association (AAA), and other governmental agencies and highway safety advocacy organizations, as well as concerned private citizens throughout the state.

After the initial introduction of the Graduated Driver’s License legislation, before it became law, it took years to mold the bill so that it would support its mission, to protect young and inexperienced drivers and give them the skills they need.

The time was spent scrutinizing statistics, research and evidence from this state and all over the country. It was a concerted effort that molded the original lifesaving measure known as the GDL.

We also sought the help of parents, as it was a mother who had just lost her teenage daughter, a new driver, and in her quest to spare another mother from grieving, that inspired me to go forth to advocate for this statute.

The graduated system, designed to eliminate flaws in the state’s licensing process, has already proven itself to be a successful initiative, but it is an ongoing process.

Though it is already credited with helping reduce deaths involving teen drivers to historic lows, each year the GDL effort grows to support the mission for which it was created.

Certainly, the graduated license may not address all factors. There will always be unforeseeable or uncontrollable hazardous distractions such as road and weather conditions and even human conditions such as illness or risky behavior on the road.