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How New Illinois Traffic Laws Affect Drivers
In 2008, new traffic laws in Illinois effectively increased criminal penalties and fines for certain traffic violations, from DUI to reckless driving to failure to yield to a pedestrian. Under the new traffic laws, some violations result in automatic license suspension while others have dramatically higher fines.
The traffic offense lawyers at Brucar & Yetter are dedicated to traffic and speeding violations defense for people throughout northern Illinois. We have an excellent record of success in getting these ticket dropped or changed to avoid serious penalties.
For a free consultation with an experienced attorney who knows how to defend against charges under the new laws, contact the law office of Brucar & Yetter today.
How the New Traffic Laws Affect Alternative Sentencing
Generally speaking, the new traffic laws result in more suspended driver's licenses and much higher fines. The fine structure has gone up by hundreds of dollars per case. Also, many drivers are impacted by more severe sentences since the new laws make court supervision unavailable in certain cases.
The new traffic laws state that you cannot receive supervision for serious traffic violations such as:
- Certain tickets for driving while license suspended
- Certain DUI charges
- Axle weight violations
- Excessive load or weight violations
- Missing, incorrect or invalid weight permits
- Individuals under 21 and driving outside bounds of license restrictions
- Speeding in school zone
- Failure to yield to a pedestrian in a school zone
- Passing a marked school bus at stop
- Second violation of operating uninsured motor vehicle
- Display false insurance card (second offense in five years)
The new traffic laws also change how drivers under 21 years old qualify for court supervision or other alternative sentencing. If you are under 21, you may be ineligible for supervision for offenses that are deemed serious traffic violations under some circumstances, including:
- Motor vehicle accident involving damage to a vehicle
- Failure to stop and exchange information after a motor vehicle collision
- Failure to stop and exchange information or give aid after a motor vehicle collision involving personal injury or death
- Illegal transportation, possession, or carrying of alcoholic liquor within the passenger area of any vehicle
- Operating a motor vehicle without a valid license
- Speeding 30 over the speed limit or more
- Reckless driving
- Passing in a no-passing zone
- Backing on a controlled access highway
- Driving on the left side in a no-passing zone
- Failure to yield the right-of-way to a pedestrian
- Failure to stop for an approaching railroad train or signals
Drivers under 21 will also be ineligible for supervision for any traffic violation if they have had court supervision twice in the preceding 12 months. Under the new traffic laws, drivers under 18 now must go to court on every traffic matter and everyone under 21 must attend traffic school.
With the new traffic laws resulting in mandatory license suspension, you should not hesitate if you got a ticket. Contact the Illinois traffic violations defense lawyers at Brucar & Yetter for a free consultation. For your convenience, night and weekend office hours may be arranged by appointment. We are available 24 hours a day.
