Special Driving Laws for Minors - continued

On Monday, I wrote about the special laws for minors who were age 15, driving on a permit.  Today, I will note the special driving laws enacted by the State of Illinois for minors who get their driver's license at age 16, until they reach the age of majority at age 19.  Once again, Illinois has imposed these special laws for minor drivers for their own safety and the safety of others on the roadway, as it has been found that teenage drivers have the greatest risk of being involved in a motor vehicle crash.

The following are the special rules and laws for drivers ages 16 and 17, who have received their Illinois driver's license:

► Practice Driving Time - a minimum of 50 hours of practice driving, including 10 hours at night, must be completed;

► Completion of a  state-approved driver-education course; 

► Parental approval to obtain license;

► Subject to local laws, no driving Sunday to Thursday between 10 p.m. and  6 a.m. and Friday and Saturday between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. – in other words, no driving after 10 p.m. weekdays and after 11 p.m. on weekends;

► Everyone in the vehicle must wear safety belts;

► For the first 12 months of actual licensing, or until the driver turns 18, whichever occurs first, the number of passengers is limited to one person under age 20, unless the passenger(s) is a sibling, stepsibling, child or stepchild of the driver. After this period, the number of passengers is limited to one in the front seat and the number of safety belts in the back seat.

► No cell phone use – even hands-free, until the driver turns age 19;

► No texting while driving; and

► The driver must maintain a conviction-free driving record for six months prior to turning age 18, before the driver can move to “Full Licensing Phase”.  A traffic conviction during this Initial Licensing Phase may extend the above restrictions beyond age 18.

     Obviously, teaching our children about these law, and reviewing the laws with them periodically, will help keep them safe and keep everyone on the roadways safe. 

     For more information and resources, visit our website at payonklaw.com.