Rules of the Road

Motorists who know the rules of the road and practice defensive driving are key to making our roadways safer for everyone. This Illinois Rules of the Road manual is your guide to becoming a responsible and skilled driver. Please read and study this manual thoroughly before applying for your driver’s license and keep it on hand for reference.

In Illinois, teenagers make up only 6 percent of the total driving population, yet they account for 16 percent of all automobile deaths. Because of this statistic, in 2006, I brought together experts from across the state to form a Teen Driver Safety Task Force to review and change Illinois' Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) laws. The changes made to the law take effect Jan. 1, 2008, and a new chapter has been added to this booklet beginning on page 21 to outline the new law. Because parental involvement is a critical component of a successful GDL Program, this new chapter will help parents ensure that their teenagers satisfy the new requirements.

In addition to the enhanced GDL law, several new traffic safety measures also have taken effect, including tougher penalties for passing a stopped school bus, increased safety belt restrictions for children riding in trucks, stiffer penalties for failing to yield at a school crossing zone, and creation of a reckless homicide offense when a child or school crossing guard is struck and killed by a passing motorist in a school crossing zone.

For more information about these laws, including the new GDL law, please visit www.cyberdriveillinois.com.

Jesse White
Secretary of State

This edition of the Illinois Rules of the Road is as accurate as possible at the time of publication. The manual gives drivers information on obtaining a driver’s license, driver’s license laws, traffic safety issues and general information regarding Illinois traffic laws and ordinances. The language of the Illinois Compiled Statutes is condensed and paraphrased and does not cover every law or explain every possible situation that motorists may face while operating a motor vehicle. The manual also provides highway safety information not in the law. It is intended as a tool for drivers and should not be cited as a legal authority in court.