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August 25, 2008

Henry Haupt

Secretary Of State Jesse White Issues Gdl Parent-Teen Driving Guide
Guide Offers Safe Driving Tips and Covers the State’s New Teen Driver Law

Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White announced that parents of students enrolled in driver education will soon be receiving a new parent-teen driving guidebook. The guidebooks will be provided to driver education students upon receiving their instruction permit.

This 32-page guidebook is designed as a tool to help parents observe and instruct their teen drivers during the instruction permit phase of licensing. Illinois law requires teens must log a minimum of 50 hours of practice driving, including 10 hours at night, with their parents before obtaining a driver’s license.

“My office initiated a new law that took effect Jan. 1, 2008 that gives Illinois one of the most comprehensive graduated driver licensing (GDL) programs in the nation,” said White. “This guide outlines the new law and also offers parents a blueprint to follow when accompanying their teens as they log the required 50 hours of practice driving.”

Crashes are the leading cause of death for people age 15 – 20. The new law was established to reduce the number of fatal teen crashes on Illinois roads. Statistics show the law is working. In Illinois in the first six months of 2007, 82 teens were killed in automobile crashes. During this same time period in 2008, 39 teens lost their lives. This represents a 52 percent decline in teen deaths on Illinois roads.

“I am encouraged by the impact this law is having on our young, novice drivers,” said White. “I want to thank parents for taking an active role in their teen’s driving experience.”

The new law gives teens more time to obtain valuable driving experience while under the watchful eye of a parent or guardian, limits in-car distractions, and requires the teens to earn their way from one licensing stage to the next by avoiding traffic convictions.

The Illinois Parent Teacher’s Association, the Illinois Department of Transportation, and the Illinois Drivers Education Association partnered with Secretary White’s office in developing the guidebook.

For more information on the new law or the parent-teen driving guide, contact the Secretary of State’s office at 800-252-8980 or visit www.cyberdriveillinois.com.

Parent-Teen Driving Guide