Giannoulias recommends permanent increase to driving test age
requirement
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[September 29, 2023]
By ANDREW ADAMS
Capitol News Illinois
aadams@capitolnewsillinois.com
Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias this week filed
administrative rules that would increase the age at which a driver is
required to pass a driving test when they renew their license, raising
it from 75 to 79.
The rules – proposed by Giannoulias to the legislative Joint Committee
on Administrative Rules – would keep in place a state policy that went
into effect during the COVID-19 pandemic.
During the pandemic, lawmakers in Springfield temporarily modified
several requirements for driver's licenses to ease strain on the
secretary of state’s office, which oversees driver services facilities.
That included the age increase for required driver tests.
But that policy was scheduled to expire on Oct. 1, so Giannoulias’
office filed emergency rules to extend it beyond that date, along with
identical permanent rules. That rulemaking committee's next regular
meeting is planned for Oct. 17 in Chicago, at which point it can
determine whether to leave the rules in place, request changes or file
an objection.
“This change would make Illinois driving standards for senior drivers
more consistent compared to other states while keeping Illinois as one
of the strictest states for license renewals,” Giannoulias said in a
Wednesday news release.
Under the pandemic-era policy and the rules proposed by Giannoulias, all
drivers aged 78 and younger must renew their licenses every four years.
At age 79, drivers must complete a driving test as part of that process.
State policies for those aged 79 and older would not change under
Giannoulias’ proposed rules. Drivers aged 81 to 86 must renew their
license and take a vision and driving test every two years, and drivers
aged 87 and older must renew their license and take those tests every
year.
Illinois is the only state in the country that has a driving test
requirement for people over a certain age. Illinois also requires more
frequent driver’s license renewals for people over age 80, something
only 23 states require.
The change will affect approximately 3 percent of Illinois’ driving
population, according to the secretary of state’s office.
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The Michael J. Howlett building, which houses several secretary of
state services, is pictured in Springfield. (Capitol News Illinois
file photo)
As part of the temporary change, the secretary of state’s office issued
a report on driving safety among older drivers, which found that drivers
aged 75 years and older were involved in fewer crashes – even after the
temporary rule change went into effect – than those aged 16 to 69 years.
“When it comes to total crashes, individuals who are aged 75 and older
consistently experienced lower crash rates compared to nearly every
other age group,” according to the report.
Age-related requirements for drivers have been a longtime issue for AARP
Illinois, an advocacy group that represents the interests of those over
age 50.
“Age alone is not determinative of driving performance” Ryan
Gruenenfelder, outreach and advocacy manager at AARP Illinois, told
Capitol News Illinois.
Gruenenfelder said AARP receives complaints about age-related
requirements for drivers, noting they make competent drivers feel
“targeted” for their age. He said the organization will continue to work
with the secretary of state’s office and advocate for using a person’s
mobility or indicators of driving behavior to trigger possible driving
test requirements, regardless of age.
But Gruenenfelder said AARP commends Giannoulias for his recommendation
this week. The group also approves of Giannoulias’ September action to
move the state’s busiest driver services facilities to an
appointment-based model, as well as this week’s announcement that two
new facilities targeted to senior drivers will offer walk-in services.
Capitol News Illinois is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news
service covering state government. It is distributed to hundreds of
print and broadcast outlets statewide. It is funded primarily by the
Illinois Press Foundation and the Robert R. McCormick Foundation, along
with major contributions from the Illinois Broadcasters Foundation and
Southern Illinois Editorial Association.
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