FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                               January 24, 2008

SPRINGFIELD, IL – Illinois teen motorists are now facing the nation’s toughest new driver’s laws, according to State Senator Dan Rutherford (R-Pontiac).

“My Pontiac and Springfield offices continue to receive calls about the new teen driving laws that took effect January 1,” Rutherford wrote.

Public Act 95-0310 increased the restrictions on Illinois’ Graduated Driver’s License program. The legislation was sponsored in response to the increase in the number of teenage deaths on state roadways. Specifically, the Public Act increases the permit phase for drivers younger than 18 from three months to nine months, proposes a stricter driving curfew for new drivers, and sets tough penalties – including license revocation and vehicle impoundment – for drivers who are involved in street racing.

Rutherford urged young motorists and parents to be aware of the latest restrictions on teen driving: “These provisions will be critical to protecting our new driver’s and will help prevent high-risk behavior that could lead to deadly crashes,” Rutherford concluded.

1. Drivers under 18 are required to hold a learner’s permit for 9 months;
2. Drivers with a learner’s permit have a 11:00 pm curfew Fri-Sat, and a 10:00 pm curfew Sun-Thur;
3. No exemptions allowed for actual road time with driver’s instructor;
4. Established the offense of street racing; violators will have license revoked and vehicle impounded for up to 5 days;
5. No graduated driver’s license issued for 9 months with a moving or seat belt violation;
6. Six months of conviction-free driving before someone between the ages of 18-20 may move from a graduated driver’s license to full licensing;
7. No more than one passenger who is under the age of 20 for the first 12 months; exemptions are allowed for siblings or children of minor parents;
8. The driver’s license of drivers under 21 will be suspended for any traffic conviction that occurs if the driver has already served a suspension for receiving two traffic convictions for moving violations within 24 months;
9. If a graduated driver’s license holder over the age of 18 commits a moving violation, or a violation of the seat belt law, in the 6 months prior to that person’s 18^{th birthday, that person cannot use a cell phone while driving for another six months without additional violations; and}

Drivers under 18 requesting court supervision for a traffic offense must appear in person before the judge, with a parent or guardian; also requires attendance at traffic school as a condition for supervision.