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PRITZKER
SIGNS BILL INCREASING PENALTIES FOR TEXTING, DRIVING, CRASHING AND
HURTING SOMEONE
Illinois Policy Institute/
Ben Szalinski
Drivers who text and cause a crash that
seriously hurts someone will face steep penalties under new state law.
Ticket was $75 but increases to $1,000 plus license loss for a year.
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 Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed a bill on July 19 that
dramatically increases the penalties for drivers who cause an accident resulting
in injury because they were using an electronic device behind the wheel. The law
took effect immediately.
Under Public Act 101-90, drivers will have their license suspended for one year
and pay a fine of $1,000 if they use electronic devices and cause an accident
resulting in great bodily harm. The old penalty was a $75 ticket.
Rep. Norine Hammond, R-Macomb, filed the bill after an accident in her district
caused a motorcyclist to lose his leg. The driver who caused the accident was on
the phone and was written a $75 ticket for using a handheld device behind the
wheel.
 The new penalties for hurting someone came shortly after another Illinois law
changed to impose steeper penalties for any texting and driving. The changes for
a first-time texting offense took effect July 1.
First-time incidences of driving while operating a handheld mobile device now
count as a “moving violation.” Under state law, moving violations appear on
motorists’ driving records, and drivers who receive three moving violations in a
year see their driver’s license suspended. First-time offenses still carry a
fine of $75.
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The law makes some exceptions, such as for drivers using a handheld
device to contact emergency personnel.
A study by Volvo found that 71% of Americans admit to using their
phone while driving despite knowing it is illegal, and that younger
drivers are less likely than their parents to use their phone while
on the road.
According to research from the National Highway Transportation
Safety Administration, or NHTSA, over 600,000 drivers nationwide are
using their cellphones at any given moment. NHTSA also found 25% of
police-reported collisions involve drivers using their cellphone,
and that texting while driving is six times more dangerous than
impaired driving. Looking away from the road for just five seconds
at 55 mph is the equivalent of driving distracted for the length of
a football field, according to NHTSA.
By imposing stiffer penalties, state lawmakers and law enforcement
leaders hope to save lives by minimizing drivers’ electronic
distractions while behind the wheel.
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