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State Rep. Jeff Keicher, R-Sycamore, introduced House Bill 4431
at the start of the 2024 legislative session, attacking what he
said is an “onerous hurdle” the road test mandate presents for
drivers ages 75 and older.
Keicher told The Center Square that National Safety Council
statistics don’t support the need for a road test for seniors.
“When we look at the National Safety Council report, the number
of drivers involved in fatal crashes decreases as the age of the
driver increases,” he said.
When it comes to the raw count of fatal incidents, seniors are
involved in the fewest crashes, as they tend to avoid
long-distance driving, limiting their runs to essentials like
the grocery store and doctor’s visits. Other demographics alter
the picture a bit, as Keicher explains,
“However, if you measure it by per 100,000 miles driven, seniors
rank higher,” he said.
Keicher described the road test requirement as ageist, saying “I
just think it’s highly discriminatory based on an age that
you’ve reached and not your health or driver ability.”
If there is a senior with a particular medical condition
warranting a license revocation, that’s something a doctor can
report, he said.
Currently, his bill is paused for an amendment that will address
bad drivers of all ages for more stringent renewal requirements,
rather than focus on seniors.
“My amendment clarifies that those that have tickets or
accidents are the ones that should be subjected to the higher
threshold,” Keicher said. “If we can intercede at a young age on
making sure that they’re driving safer, we should be better
served altogether.”
Taking the focus off seniors is proving popular across party
lines with both Republicans and Democrats named as bill
co-sponsors. Bipartisan support generally means the bill has a
greater likelihood of gaining the votes to become reality.
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