A bill signed into law by Illinois Gov. Patrick J. Quinn permits the Illinois Secretary of State to retroactively invalidate a driver’s license if the minor had a citation for which a disposition had not been rendered when the license was issued. In other words, a permit driver, 18 years old or younger, who has a pending traffic ticket, will be unable to obtain an Illinois driver’s license.
This new law is effective immediately. The House Bill 1009 was sponsored by Rep. John D’Amico and Sen. Martin Sandoval, both Chicago Democrats.
In addition, the new law allows prosecutors to request the court to invalidate a driver’s license if he or she caused death or serious injury while breaking traffic rules.
The bill was named “Kelsey’s Law” after Kelsey Little, who was struck in 2011 by the passenger-side mirror of a truck as she walked along the side of a road. The crash split Little’s skull open and broke all of the bones in her face. The driver of the truck was 15 years old at the time and didn’t have a driver’s license. Only three days after the accident, the driver was able to obtain his driver’s license.
Another traffic law, House Bill 1010, which also goes into effect immediately, takes away the sentencing option of court supervision if a person is charged in connection with a fatal accident and already has a previous supervision on his or her record. Again, this law deals with drivers 18 years old or younger.
Both of these new driving laws arise out of near fatal or fatal traffic accidents in which the at-fault drivers were 18 years old or younger. These laws are intended to make Illinois roads, streets and highways safer for all who use them. It also puts younger drivers on notice as to how important it is to take the privilege and responsibility associated with driving very seriously.
Kreisman Law Offices has been handling automobile crashes, truck accidents and bicycle accident cases for individuals and families who have been harmed, injured or died as a result of the carelessness or negligence of another for more than 37 years in and around Chicago, Cook County and its surrounding areas, including Chicago (Bridgeport), Bridgeview, Maywood, Chicago Heights, Elgin, Aurora, Warrenville, Wheaton, Chicago (Rogers Park), Bolingbrook, Romeoville and Winfield, Ill.
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