It was in March of 2024 when a car accident in Whiteside County took the lives of a 16 year old and two 14 year olds. The accident that took the teens lives involved a teenage driver with multiple passengers under the age of 20.
Last year at the urging of Cassidy Dorathy, the mother of the 16 year old, State Representative Ryan Spain (R-Peoria) sponsored legislation for a violation of the passenger requirement under a graduated license which was very severe….a six month revocation or suspension of that person’s drivers license for any violation of the provision. So a moving violation with too many kids in the car would result in a six months suspension.
This spring, Spain has come back with legislation (HB4382) that makes the law a little more practical.
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The law will be known as DJ’s law, named after DJ Dorathy. The legislation was approved by the Transportation: Vehicles and Safety committee on a unanimous vote.