SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WTVO) — Under a new bill under consideration by the Illinois General Assembly, senior citizens would have to take a mandatory driving test at age 87 instead of the current age of 79.
The Road Safety & Fairness Act, drafted by Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias and sponsored by Sen. Ram Villivalam (D-Chicago) and Rep. Jay Hoffman (D-Bellville), would also allow for new procedures for relatives to report unsafe drivers.
According to the Illinois Department of Transportation, in 2023 the crash rate for drivers 75 and older was lower than every age range of drivers between 16 and 74.
“As Secretary of State, my top priority is ensuring that Illinois roads are safe,” Giannoulias said. “Seniors are among the safest drivers of any age category. This measure will align Illinois senior driving standards with the rest of the nation while increasing safeguards so that Illinois maintains its status as one of the strictest states when it comes to driver safety and license renewals.”
The bill, if it becomes law, would require drivers at 79 and 80 to take a vision test to renew their driver’s license, and drivers between 81 and 86 would still be required to renew their license every two years.
Drivers aged 87 and older will be required to renew their licenses annually, with a vision and driving test.
“AARP Illinois has heard for years from our members about how the driving test requirement disproportionately affects older drivers and perpetuates false narratives about their driving abilities,” said AARP Illinois State Director Philippe Largent. “The research clearly shows that older drivers are the safest drivers on our roadways, and we believe that singling them out to take an extra test is a type of age discrimination and has to end.”
The law would also establish a method so family members can report unsafe drivers, which would trigger a medical reevaluation and retesting.
According to the Secretary of State’s Office, Illinois has been the only state in the nation that requires senior drivers to have their behind-the-wheel skills tested on a regular basis. The last two states that mandated driving tests for seniors did away with them in 2011 (New Hampshire) and 2005 (Indiana).
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January 14, 2025 at 12:26PM
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