It’s homecoming season and the parties are on. Between tailgating and high school dances, teenagers are getting their fix of underage nightlife and some are even making it more memorable by renting limos and party buses. But are the rented parties on wheels really safe?

Thanks to new legislation passed in September, party bus companies will have to step up their game to ensure minors are sober and safe while partying on their rides.

In June, the driver of an SUV sideswiped a party bus in Illinois, injuring 19 people—four in the SUV and 15 in the bus. The SUV driver was later cited for driving under the influence and five other breaking traffic laws.

Limousines and party buses are a fun way to celebrate, but there are risks associated with renting them, aside from other drivers on the road. With no regulations regarding the age of passengers or chaperone requirements, the risk onboard the buses can be high. Assembly Bill 45, signed by Gov. Jerry Brown in September, requires party buses to have chaperones and identification checks to avoid injuries or death caused by underage drinking.

The new law was written by State Assemblyman Jerry Hill, D-San Mateo, after a young woman was killed after she drunkenly fell out of a party bus in Santa Cruz. The tragic death happened in July on the way home from a country concert. About 12 to 15 other people were on the bus all but the driver had been drinking.

“In recent years, the party bus industry has expanded and not kept up with the times,” Hill said in August. “These buses are essentially ‘booze cruises’—parties on wheels with dance floors, neon lighting, sound systems, lounging areas and dancing poles.”

Don’t get me wrong, party buses are a lot of fun, but they really aren’t regulated. Someone books the bus for a certain number of people, a driver takes them where they want to go without too many questions asked. In 2005, I went to my sister’s winter formal with a group of her friends in a party bus they rented. They weren’t drinking, but they could have been and no one would have known, especially since the bus had champagne flutes which we used to drink sparkling cider. The sleek, black bus had privacy glass separating us from the driver, who only acknowledged us when we arrived at the dance.

Requiring a chaperone will probably dramatically reduce the amount of teens renting limos or party buses for birthdays and school events, but it will likely also reduce some of the underage drinking recently predominating in the U.S.

According to Students Against Destructive Decisions, nearly three- quarters of high school students have consumed more than just a few sips of alcohol by the time they graduate. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports 39 percent of youth admitted to drinking and 22 percent binge drank.

The idea behind AB 45 is to protect teens and young adults from the risks associated with underage drinking and to hold the owners of bus companies responsible for minors who consume alcohol while in their vehicles. The law requires a chaperone older than 25 to be present and assume responsibility for any minor on board. Violators will face misdemeanor penalties and are held to the same standards as limousine companies.

Teenagers probably aren’t too excited about this new legislation, but parents should be. While our government spends weeks arguing about health care and budgets, it’s good to see some of them are taking time to make a difference where others might not be looking.