In March of 2024 three teens from the Tampico area were killed when the Ford F-150 in which they were passengers, ran a stop sign in rural Tampico and was struck by a semi. The teenage driver of the pickup survived the crash.
Under Illinois law, for the first year after receiving a driver’s license, or until turning 18, a teenage driver can have only one passenger under the age of 20 in the car, besides a sibling. If they get caught driving too many, they lose their license for two months.
State Representative Ryan Spain (R-Peoria) is sponsoring legislation that would increase the penalties.
House Bill 2942 provides that a graduated driver’s license holder under the age of 18 who is convicted of violating current law of operating a motor vehicle with more than one passenger in the vehicle who is under the age of 20 (unless any additional passenger or passengers are siblings, stepsiblings, children, or stepchildren of the driver) then the graduated license shall be suspended for 6 months instead of the current 2.
The bill was given approval Wednesday in the House Transportation: Vehicles and Safety Committee. It now heads to the full House for consideration.
Chasity Dorathy, the mother of one of the boys killed in the accident, testified before the committee, and has previously stated that with the penalty set at two months, nobody really pays attention, but six months might get their attention.
Attached are comments from Representative Spain made during the committee hearing.
