WEST ORANGE, NJ — A bill meant to raise traffic-safety awareness named after a West Orange boy who died in a 2011 car accident caused by a distracted driver was unanimously passed 75-0 by the New Jersey General Assembly at its March 9 session.
Assembly Bill A1781 — titled “Nikhil’s Law” in honor of Nikhil Badlani, an 11-year-old who was killed when a driver ran a stop sign in South Orange — calls for the state driver’s license exam to include a question asking takers whether they are aware of the dangers of not following state motor vehicle laws. The question will also ask whether they know about the STOP for Nikhil Safety Pledge created by the Nikhil Badlani Foundation, a promise to follow traffic laws and refrain from distractions, specifically by doing the following: coming to a complete stop at stop signs and red lights, staying alert with two hands on the steering wheel and using hands-free telephones to talk without texting.
Additionally, the bill states that information will be included in the driver’s manual that explains the dangers of failing to follow traffic laws and instructs those interested to take the pledge. People who wish to take the pledge will be able to fill out standard forms at motor vehicle offices; otherwise, they will be directed to the foundation’s website, according to the bill.
For Assemblyman John McKeon, who represents West Orange, South Orange and Maplewood as part of the 27th Legislative District, the Assembly’s passage of Nikhil’s Law is a culmination of years of work. Though he introduced the bill on Jan. 16, McKeon said he started putting it together with Sangeeta and Sunil Badlani, Nikhil’s parents and the creators of the Nikhil Badlani Foundation, shortly after their son’s death. For McKeon, the wait was worthwhile as the bill could save lives if enacted into law.
“In taking it, the pledge will resonate with young drivers at some point in time, and it will prevent a tragedy,” McKeon told the News-Record in a March 20 phone interview. “It will make somebody understand the level of maturity that is required when someone operates a car.”
McKeon explained that he and the Badlanis actually considered a few alternative traffic-safety measures before deciding upon a more educational approach. Instead of imposing punitive actions for failing to follow the rules like many bills do, he said the Badlanis wanted to get people to change their behavior before a traffic accident took place.
Evidently, they were not the only ones who felt that was the way to go. Four other Assembly members joined McKeon in sponsoring the bill, including Assemblywoman Mila Jasey, who also represents the 27th Legislative District. Mary Theroux, Jasey’s chief of staff, told the News-Record that the assemblywoman is “delighted” to have helped the bill get passed. Theroux said what makes the bill so effective is the fact that it uses Nikhil’s tragic death as an example to young drivers — who typically think nothing bad will happen to them — of what could occur if they are not careful.
File Photo
Above is the poster, featuring a photo of Nikhil Badlani, for the 2013 STOP for Nikhil 5K Run/Walk in West Orange. The event is held annually in September to raise awareness for traffic-safety issues.
“It is more than just getting a ticket,” Theroux said in a March 19 phone interview. “It is more than just the inconvenience of getting points and having your insurance rates go up. All of those are really undesirable outcomes that pale in significance when compared to the possibility of harming someone.”
Many Essex County drivers have learned that the hard way. According to 2013 crash records, the most recent statistics offered on the New Jersey Department of Transportation’s website, the county saw 35 traffic accidents that resulted in fatalities. Another 6,155 brought about injuries. The records also showed that 584 crashes involved the use of a cell phone, with 155 causing injuries.
It is the Badlanis’ hope that Nikhil’s Law will reduce those numbers dramatically. Sunil Badlani said it means a lot to them that the bill was finally passed, and Sangeeta Badlani said that the unanimity of the vote shows it is going in the right direction toward becoming law.
Overall, Sunil Badlani said they just want the bill to be implemented so the pledge can reach both new drivers and experienced drivers who are renewing their licenses, hopefully making a difference in the way people drive.
“Nikhil paid the highest price you can pay, and we definitely wanted to see something positive come out of it,” Sunil Badlani said in a March 21 phone interview. “We want to make sure that something is done that helps in terms of improving driving behaviors. Because I believe that you can actually have all the laws on the books, but if you can actually change someone’s behavior, that is more effective.”
Sangeeta Badlani said that more than 1,000 drivers have already taken the STOP for Nikhil Safety Pledge, as potentially thousands more will do if the bill is signed into law. Through the Nikhil Badlani Foundation, the Badlanis also raised more than $44,000 at the latest annual STOP for Nikhil 5K Run/Walk in September to raise awareness for traffic-safety issues as well as to help children pursue their musical dreams, since Nikhil was an aspiring musician. Most recently they worked with Speedway Academies in Newark, which lost a 7-year-old student in a car crash, to educate young students about traffic safety and complete an art project with them.
In the near future, Sangeeta Badlani said the foundation will be working with Columbia High School in Maplewood and West Essex High School in North Caldwell to promote traffic-safety awareness. Additionally, she said it has partnered with NJ Transit to display the traffic-safety related artwork created by students in train stations for Global Youth Traffic Safety Month this May.
Of course, in making the roads safer the foundation is also keeping Nikhil’s memory alive. Sangeeta Badlani said she hopes her son is proud of what his parents have accomplished in his honor, though she has a feeling he would not have liked all the attention.
“Being an 11-year-old, I just remember he was always one of those people who did not want the attention on him,” Sangeeta Badlani said in a March 21 phone interview. “But he had all the qualities, whether he wanted it or not, that people paid attention to him. So we hope that he is proud of everything. He should be proud of himself, first of all, for everything that he has done and for all the lives he has touched and continues to touch now.
“And I have to be honest, I would not be a mother if I did not embarrass him,” she added.
Nikhil’s Law will next go to a vote by state Senate’s Law and Public Safety committee. Its companion bill there is being sponsored by State Senator Richard Codey, also of the 27th Legislative District.