DeKalb Times

A bill proposing to raise the age requirement for mandatory road tests for senior drivers from 79 to 87 has passed the Illinois House unanimously. The states must now await further evaluation and potential approval by the Senate. This legislation has garnered support, notably from Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias, and was spearheaded by State Representative Jeff Keicher.

Keicher, reflecting on the legislative progress, stated: “As I’ve said before, the data is clear that older drivers are actually some of the safest drivers on the road and are involved in fewer fatal crashes than any other age group." He further expressed satisfaction with the bill's unanimous passage, adding: "I’m glad that after all the hard work we put in last year, we’ve finally been able to get over the first hurdle of passing the bill through the House. And it passed unanimously! Now, on to the Senate, where I look forward to HB 1226 receiving wide support as well.”

This legislative move comes in response to numerous complaints from senior drivers highlighting that Illinois is the only state mandating road exams solely based on age. Organizations such as AARP Illinois and many senior citizens argue for a focus on ability rather than age to determine a driver's eligibility. The current law mandates road tests for drivers aged 79, 80 during license renewal, every two years for those between 81 and 86, and annually for individuals 87 and older.

State Representative Joyce Mason, along with Keicher, has previously sponsored efforts aimed at eliminating these age-specific requirements. However, their past proposals did not advance to a vote in the House.

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