New Jersey’s future leaders aren’t waiting for change, they’re creating it. Through the Nikhil Badlani Foundation’s Youth Advisory Board (YAB), students across the state are transforming their ideas for safer roads into real-world action. This year marked a major milestone: the first-ever Youth Advisory Board Summit, where students from five counties came together to collaborate on projects that will make New Jersey’s roads safer for everyone.

About the Nikhil Badlani Foundation

The Foundation was created in memory of Nikhil Badlani, an 11-year-old student who tragically lost his life on June 11, 2011, when a driver ran a stop sign. Determined to honor their son’s life, Sangeeta and Sunil Badlani launched the Foundation to advocate for traffic safety and support children in pursuing their dreams in music and academics.

One of the Foundation’s most impactful achievements was the passage of “Nikhil’s Law” in 2015. “Nikhil’s Law” requires the NJ Motor Vehicle Commission to ask new drivers on the driver’s license test if they are aware of the dangers of failing to follow the states motor vehicle traffic laws and if they are aware that they have the option to take the “STOP for Nikhil Safety Pledge,” which affirms the applicant’s commitment to traffic safety.

Nikhil Badlani Foundation’s Youth Advisory Board

Building on this success, The Foundation continued its advocacy work by launching a Traffic Safety Youth Advisory Board at West Orange High School in 2018. Its mission: empower youth to make a difference by providing a platform to share ideas and develop traffic safety projects. Since then, Youth Advisory Board members have led innovative campaigns, created street murals to reduce speeding, and helped pass Bill S2789/A3793, which requires permit holders under 21 to complete at least 50 hours of supervised driving, including 10 hours at night.

In 2024, Burlington City became part of the Nikhil Badlani Foundation Youth Advisory Board, joining a growing network of students committed to traffic safety advocacy. Motivated by recent tragedies in their community, Burlington City students didn’t hesitate to act. Working alongside their peers from West Orange, the students came together to advocate for a new law that would fill a critical gap in New Jersey’s driver education system. Together, they pushed for legislation requiring all new drivers to learn how to safely share the road with people walking, biking, and using mobility devices, ensuring the next generation of drivers is better prepared to protect the most vulnerable road users. As they came together in support of S4146/A4765, Their voices were not only powerful they were personal, urgent, and impossible to ignore.

In addition to their legislative advocacy, Youth Advisory Board students from both communities continue to host Traffic Safety Fairs, launch Distracted Driving Awareness campaigns, and engage in peer-to-peer education. Through the Youth Advisory Board, students have become an important voice in statewide traffic safety discussions.

Youth Advisory Board Summit

The 2025-2026 School Year has marked another leap forward, with students from schools across five counties coming together as part of the Youth Advisory Board. On October 24, the Nikhil Badlani Foundation held its first Youth Advisory Board Summit in Dunellen, NJ under the theme of “Brain Power.” Supported by funding from the New Jersey Division of Highway Traffic Safety, the summit brought together more than 70 students from Burlington City, Elizabeth, Dunellen, West Orange, and Jersey City.

Throughout the day, students reviewed past accomplishments, exchanged ideas, and collaborated on new strategies. Hands-on activities helped them identify local traffic safety concerns and propose practical solutions, such as:

  • Adding sidewalks and improving pedestrian crossings
  • Launching consistent social media campaigns
  • Conducting speed studies and walk assessments near schools
  • Updating outdated traffic signage

The summit showcased the power of youth leadership and reinforced a vital truth: traffic safety isn’t just about roads; it’s about people.

Looking Ahead

The 2025 Youth Advisory Board Summit was a great success as it inspired change and emphasized the power of student collaboration and engagement. But New Jersey’s student advocates are just getting started. With their passion, creativity, and commitment, these student advocates are shaping a safer future, not only for their communities, but for the entire state of New Jersey both now and into the future.