Update: New Driver Laws in 2015

 Posted on January 12, 2015 in Personal Injury

As the New Year gets underway, it is important drivers stay informed on the changes to Illinois automobile law to reduce accidents and injuries.

New Driver Laws in Illinois

Senate Bill 1898 increased the minimum mandatory coverage for liability auto insurance policies in Illinois. It also increases the amount of money that is sufficient to satisfy a judgment in a motor vehicle accident lawsuit. The changes will allow for victims of accidents to recover more money for their injuries, medical expenses, and property damages.

For bodily injury or death of a single individual, the coverage increases from $20,000 to $50,000; bodily injury or death of more than one person increases from $40,000 to $100,000; and for injury or destruction of others' property, the coverage increases from $15,000 to $40,000. Increasing the minimum liability insurance benefits for injured victims of serious car accidents allows them to recover more money from the insurance company of the other party.

Senate Bill 2583 (now Public Act 098-0870) changes existing state law so that one's driver's license no longer has to be used when posting bail. Now, one's signature on a citation to guarantee compliance with the terms of the citation, pay the fine, or appear in court will suffice. Furthermore, drivers will not be required to post bond for traffic violations or similar local ordinances that amount to petty offenses.

While the court still reserves the right to set bail for other violations, no bail amounts shall be required for petty offenses. Simply put, this means that when you get pulled over, you will not have to turn over your license as bond to the officer. Rather, you can keep your license as long as you sign a statement promising to pay the fine or show up in court.

This is common practice in most other states. This may seem like a small administrative change, but it this helps lower-income Illinois residents who cannot afford to give up their driving privileges for minor traffic violations. The new law also gives motorists more time to drive up to 30 days with past due registration stickers as long as the driver has the receipt proving they registered the car prior to the expiration date.

Senate Bill 2015 changes the speed of the toll highways in Illinois, but not Chicago expressways. Now, any interstate highway, unless some other restriction applies, shall have a speed limit of 70 m.p.h. for passenger vehicles and 60 m.p.h for semis. This bill also makes it illegal for police departments throughout the state to require ticket quotas for speeding violations nor will the police be allowed to take your driver's license.

There were a total of 220 new laws that will go into effect in 2015. For a complete list, go here.

Follow the Rules and Stay Safe

Staying up-to-date on the newest driving laws is important because it improves driver safety and will limit your potential negligence in the event of an accident. An experienced accident attorney can help you work through the large number of new laws to determine how they may impact your claim.

If you are in an accident, contact one of our experienced DuPage County car accident attorneys. Our attorneys have over one hundred years of experience assisting clients with all types of types of accident and personal injury claims. Contact us today if you need representation due to an automotive accident. At Mevorah & Giglio Law Offices, we look forward to hearing from you.