Graduated Licensing in Illinois

Getting a driver's permit or license is one of the most exciting events in a teenager's life. But along with this new privilege comes a lot of responsibility. Unfortunately, teenagers are more likely to die in car crashes than any other age group. Although teenagers make up only 6 percent of all Illinois drivers, they account for 16 percent of all crash fatalities. These troubling statistics led to the creation of a graduated driver licensing system in Illinois called "Graduate to Safety." Without raising the driving age, this plan gets young people who have proven themselves to be poor drivers off the road and into further training and also gets parents more involved in preparing their teens to drive responsibly. The information below explains the components of "Graduate to Safety," which went into effect Jan. 1, 1998, and answers some of the most commonly asked questions about the program.

"Graduate to Safety"
Graduated Licensing System

New Changes to Teen Driving Laws

Effective January 1^st, 2008
Triple the Instruction Permit Phase from 3 to 9 months

Nighttime curfew from 11:00 to 10:00 pm Sun - Thurs. & 11:00 on Sat. & Sun.
(contains exemptions for work and school-sanctioned activities);

Double the period -- from 6 months to 12 months - that a new driver may have a maximum of one unrelated teen passenger (exempts siblings);

Ticket drivers AND passengers age 15-20 who violate the passenger restriction law;

Implement a true GDL system that requires new drivers to earn their way from one stage to the next (upon issuance of an Instruction Permit, the driver must remain conviction-free for 9 months before become eligible for a driver's license. The teen driver would then have to drive conviction free for 6 months in addition to reaching age 18 before moving from the initial licensing phase to the full licensing phase);

Establish a stricter law in which the driver's license for those under age 21 would be suspended for each additional conviction following a driver's initial suspension for 2 moving violations within a 24-month period;

Mandate drivers under the age of 18 to appear in court with a parent or guardian and attend a traffic safety program as requirements to receive court supervision;

Establish new penalties including license revocation and vehicle impoundment for street racing.

Effective July 22, 2006
Provides that a parent or guardian must certify that an un emancipated minor has received
50 hours of behind-the-wheel instruction, at least 10 hours of which must have been at night,
in order for the minor to receive a graduated driver's license. Effective immediately!

Effective January 1, 2006
Each driver under the age of 18 years and each of the driver's passengers under the age of 19 years (changed from 18) shall wear a safety belt.

Effective July 15, 2005
Prohibits the use of cell phones for drivers under the age of 18, unless it is for emergency purposes.

Effective January 1, 2004
The GDL law will change to reflect new passenger limitations for beginning teen drivers. For the first six months of a person's license or until the driver is age 18, whichever occurs first, the number of passengers in a vehicle is limited to one person under the age of 20, unless the additional passenger (s) is a sibling, step-sibling, child or step-child of the driver. These restrictions reduce the likelihood a driver will be distracted by a car full of fellow teens.
 

PERMIT PHASE DRIVERS AGE 15
Parental consent necessary to obtain permit
Must be enrolled in approved driver education course and must pass vision and knowledge tests
Permit is valid for two years and must be held for a minimum of three months before a license is granted Practice driving must be supervised by parent or adult age 21 or older
All occupants under age 18 must wear safety belts
Number of passengers limited to one in front seat and to the number of safety belts in back seat
11 p.m. curfew Sunday-Thursday; midnight Friday and Saturday (local curfews may differ)
Legal blood alcohol content (BAC) limit is .00

Sanctions
Limit of one court supervision for serious offenses
Unlicensed individuals convicted of a serious moving violation must continue to drive on a learner's permit for six months before obtaining license
Not eligible for a restricted driving permit or a judicial driving permit
Individuals age 15 and under caught driving without a permit ineligible to obtain license until age 18

Q: Does a graduated driver licensing system raise the minimum age at which an individual may apply for a driver’s license?

A: Absolutely not. Under "Graduate to Safety," 16 remains the age at which a teen that has successfully completed driver education may apply for a driver’s license. The graduated system establishes additional training requirements during the instruction permit phase, resulting in better-trained 16-year-old drivers.

Q: Have graduated driver-licensing systems been effective in other states and is it necessary in Illinois?

A: Yes. Graduated driver licensing systems have proven effective in reducing the number of traffic crashes and convictions among young people in other states. In Illinois teenagers make up only 6 percent of the total driving population, yet account for 16 percent of all automobile deaths. Maryland has seen a 5 percent reduction in automobile crashes and a 10 percent reduction in traffic convictions. California has experienced a 4 percent reduction in automobile crashes and a 20 percent reduction in convictions. Through "Graduate to Safety," teen drivers receive more training, and those who prove to be unsafe drivers are taken off the road for additional training before they can become fully licensed.

Q: Why does "Graduate to Safety" limit the number of passengers in a car driven by a teen?

A: Drivers in the permit phase (age 15) and the initial licensing phase (ages 16 and 17) are limited to one passenger in the front seat and the number of safety belts in the back seat. After January 1, 2004 the new initial license holder will be limited to only one passenger under the age of twenty during the first six months of their license or until the license holder reaches the age of 18, whichever occurs first. These restrictions reduce the likelihood a driver will be distracted by a car full of fellow teens. Limiting the number of passengers to the number of safety belts also helps to ensure that everyone in the vehicle is properly restrained.

Q: How will the "limit of one passenger under age 20" rule work for the teenager that receives their license prior to January of 2004?

A: A teenager (16 or 17 years old) receiving their initial license prior to January 1, 2004 will be restricted after the effective date of January 1, for the remainder of the six months from issuance of that license. For example, if the under 18 year old driver was issued a license on Sept. 7, 2003 they would need to comply with the only one passenger under 20 rule from January 1, 2004 until March 7, 2004.

Q: Will this prevent my 16-year-old teenager from driving their brother, sister and cousin to events?

A: The brother and sister (siblings) will not count; they are exempt under this law. The cousin, if under the age of 20 will be counted as the one passenger.

Q: If required passengers are not belted in the vehicle while my teenager is driving who will be cited?

A: If the driver is under age 18 they will be cited for the violation if anyone under age 18 is unrestrained in the vehicle. It is the discretion of the officer to cite passengers over age 16 (and under age 18) in the back seat. Any passenger over age 16 in the front seat will be cited.