DRIVERS who are fed up with nerve-wracking license renewals could soon catch a break under a newly proposed road test law.
Under the new renewal process, certain drivers will no longer have to make lengthy DMV appointments.
3
3
After years of complaints, a major change is speeding through a state capitol, and it’s about to make life a lot smoother for some drivers.
In a unanimous 114-0 vote, lawmakers backed a bill raising the age at which drivers are required to take a road test for license renewal from 79 to 87.
The change applies to seniors in Illinois, where road test renewals have long been criticized by locals.
Under the new legislation, drivers will still have to stop by the DMV when they turn 79, but they no longer have to take a test with an examiner, ABC local affiliate WLS-TV reported.
The plan comes from Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias and flew through the House with zero opposition.
“Study after study indicates that senior drivers are the most safe amongst us,” said Representative Jay Hoffman.
“There’s really no need for this onerous test.”
Hoffman sponsored the bill, which was inspired by a story from a local constituents fed up with the old rules.
Representative Jeff Keicher said the current system unfairly targeted aging drivers.
“We have had a persistent issue with discriminating against older folks in this state,” Keicher said.
The bill doesn’t remove all checks, as concerned family members would still be able to alert the state if they believe a senior shouldn’t be driving.
State officials would follow up on any reports about unsafe conditions or behaviors that could put others at risk on the road.
PUSH FOR LAW
The change comes after mounting pushback over the years from lawmakers.
Why is it illegal to block a driveway?
Blocking a driveway is illegal in the United States due to the limiting of access to emergency care.
Aside from being inconsiderate, blocking a driveway is a serious safety hazard, cops say.
Blocking the driveway of someone’s home is illegal in all 50 states, with fines and penalties varying by state.
For instance, blocking a driveway in San Francisco, California can earn a driver a hefty towing $286 fee and a $110 ticket.
That’s not including the feed to retrieve the vehicle from an impound lot, which averages over $600.
In an emergency, a blocked driveway can mean the difference between life and death for a patient.
“In the United States, it is illegal to block a driveway, even your own,” reads Parklio’s website.
“It’s a matter of public safety: emergency services like fire trucks, ambulances, or police cars need that space to get in and out.
“An obstructed driveway might also prevent vehicles from pulling out onto the road to seek emergency services.”
Source: San Francisco Police Department, Parklio
Last year Keicher cited a report from 2021 from the National Safety Council stating drivers 75 or older were involved in only 3,263 accidents.
When both are compared to drivers ages 25 to 34, who logged 13,200 accidents, senior drivers proved the safest age group behind the wheel.
Compared to the next closest age bracket, who had 4,763 accidents, The U.S. Sun earlier reported.
“The removal of the mandatory test for those over the age of 75 is a critical piece of telling Illinoisans that we want them here,” The Centers Square had reported earlier.
In 2023, the state’s secretary of state published a report called “Study on Age-Related Driving Abilities” that essentially stated senior drivers were the safest of all age groups behind the wheel.
While the law would no longer require drivers to pass a driving test, it doesn’t remove other age-related factors that could result in a denied renewal.
Illinois is currently the only state that requires senior drivers to pass a driving test for renewal.
3