You might find out soon. A first-in-the-nation law in New Jersey will require new drivers ages 21 and younger to display identifying decals on their vehicles.

Gov. Jon Corzine signed the law Wednesday; it takes effect next year.

The decals will probably be a small reflective rectangle attached to the front and rear license plates to help police enforce restrictions on probationary drivers, motor vehicle officials said.

Police will use them to determine whether teens are violating the state driving curfew and passenger restrictions, said Pam Fischer, director of the New Jersey Division of Highway Safety.

Authorities will not use the decals to target young drivers or pull them over for no reason, she said.

The decals are long overdue and will save lives, said Ron Gesualdo, owner of Gene’s Driving School inMatawan.

“The parents are for it,” he said. “The kids don’t say anything, but you know what they’re thinking.”

One of those kids thinks the decals will only mean more trouble for teenagers.

“That’s going to mean police are going to be bothering us even more,” said Tebvon Mcneil, 18, of Paterson. “They see that sticker on the car, they’re just going to be pulling us over for no reason. Are there drugs in the car? That’s the first thing they’re going to think, because we’re teenagers.”

And not everyone thinks the new law will improve driver safety. Jennifer Collins, a 29-year-old Hamilton resident, wondered whether the stickers will distract other drivers who are looking for them in traffic.

“That really doesn’t make any sense to me, honestly,” she said.

Officials are considering using Velcro to attach the decals, so they can be removed by other drivers using the same car.