Safe Teen Driving Blog
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Tuesday, May 29, 2007
Tough New Teen Drinking Law Passes Illinois Senate
On Friday, May 18, 2007, the Illinois Senate took a huge step in trying to curb the dangers of teen drinking and driving. House Bill 3131 would impose strict penalties upon teens reprimanded for underage drinking, and at least one Bill supporter believes it can save lives.
House Minority Leader Tom Cross introduced HB 3131, after his hometown suffered the loss of five teenagers in one horrific drinking and driving accident. Apparently, he was not alone if believing that more needed to be done to help curb the irresponsible driving behavior, as the Bill passed the Illinois Senate unanimously.
Under current Illinois law, teens convicted of underage drinking are reported to the Secretary of State's office. The teen is then given an automatic one-year driver's license suspension. However, most underage drinkers are only given supervision by the courts, and not suspension, and therefore they are not reported nor suspended. In fact, in one Illinois County, 111 out of 148 underage drinkers were given court supervision.
If passed by the Governor, HB 3131 will change the law drastically.
Under the conditions of the new Bill, underage drinkers who are given court supervision will have their names forwarded to the Secretary of State's office, and those teens will automatically receive a driver's license suspension of three months. What makes this Bill so far reaching is that the penalty is to be enforced whether or not the teen was in or anywhere near a vehicle at the time they were caught drinking.
Teenagers may not be too happy if the Governor passes this new law, but it will certainly make them think twice about drinking at parties, school social events, and friend's houses. Lawmakers hope that the fear of losing their freedom via a driver's license will be enough to help curb the problem Illinois teens have with underage drinking.
Underage drinkers are more likely to be irresponsible when behind the wheel, so it only makes sense that the suspensions will help keep dangerous drivers off the road. Only the future will tell, but this new law would be a great step in the direction of saving many lives.
House Minority Leader Tom Cross introduced HB 3131, after his hometown suffered the loss of five teenagers in one horrific drinking and driving accident. Apparently, he was not alone if believing that more needed to be done to help curb the irresponsible driving behavior, as the Bill passed the Illinois Senate unanimously.
Under current Illinois law, teens convicted of underage drinking are reported to the Secretary of State's office. The teen is then given an automatic one-year driver's license suspension. However, most underage drinkers are only given supervision by the courts, and not suspension, and therefore they are not reported nor suspended. In fact, in one Illinois County, 111 out of 148 underage drinkers were given court supervision.
If passed by the Governor, HB 3131 will change the law drastically.
Under the conditions of the new Bill, underage drinkers who are given court supervision will have their names forwarded to the Secretary of State's office, and those teens will automatically receive a driver's license suspension of three months. What makes this Bill so far reaching is that the penalty is to be enforced whether or not the teen was in or anywhere near a vehicle at the time they were caught drinking.
Teenagers may not be too happy if the Governor passes this new law, but it will certainly make them think twice about drinking at parties, school social events, and friend's houses. Lawmakers hope that the fear of losing their freedom via a driver's license will be enough to help curb the problem Illinois teens have with underage drinking.
Underage drinkers are more likely to be irresponsible when behind the wheel, so it only makes sense that the suspensions will help keep dangerous drivers off the road. Only the future will tell, but this new law would be a great step in the direction of saving many lives.
Comments:
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Having a 16 year old that has friends who drink and have had close calls I feel that something needs to be done and this might be the answer.A huge amount kids in high school are drinking and driving.
# posted by 
: 9:08 PM
: 9:08 PM
We should have non-alcoholic clubs for young teens... that would help lower teen drinking.
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# posted by : 3:12 PM
: 3:12 PM<< Home
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