Illinois lawmakers are moving to make it easier for older drivers to maintain their independence behind the wheel with a new bill that would raise the age for the state-mandated annual driver’s test. House Bill 1226, known as the Road Safety and Fairness Act, would increase the threshold for requiring this test from 79 to 87, a change that could affect around 350,000 Illinois residents. If passed, the bill would bring Illinois closer in line with other states’ driving requirements, where older drivers typically face less frequent testing.
Advocacy efforts to raise the license renewal driving test pay off
Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias recently announced his support for Road Safety and Fairness Act to raise the age at which Illinois drivers are required to take a road test for license renewal. Currently, drivers aged 79 and older must take this “behind-the-wheel” test, making Illinois the only state with such a strict age-based requirement.
The proposed bill has garnered support from lawmakers across party lines and comes after years of advocacy from lawmakers and safety advocates who have pushed to raise the age threshold for the test. Additionally, it aims to create clearer procedures for identifying and reporting unsafe drivers. If passed, this measure would help align Illinois with other states’ driving requirements, while also addressing concerns about both road safety and fairness for older drivers.
“Age alone does not necessarily determine if someone should or should not have a driver’s license,” said Giannoulias, whose office oversees driver’s license issuance and vehicle registration, at a news conference. “A birthday is not an accurate gauge of one’s ability to get behind the wheel safely.”
Road test is the biggest concern for seniors in the state
State data shows that older drivers actually have lower crash rates compared to other age groups. In 2023, drivers aged 75 and above had a crash rate of just 24.61 per 1,000 drivers, the lowest of any age group, according to the Illinois Department of Transportation. This trend has remained consistent since at least 2018, as detailed in the Secretary of State’s 2023 Study on Age-Related Driving Abilities.
In contrast, crash rates for younger and middle-aged drivers are more than double that of senior drivers. State Senator Ram Villivalam, chair of the Illinois Senate Transportation Committee, noted that the road test requirement is a major concern for seniors in his district, which includes Chicago. Previously, the test applied to those over 75, but a temporary measure raised the threshold to 79 during the pandemic. After a study showed no significant increase in crashes among older drivers, the age limit was made permanent last year.
“They do not appreciate being discriminated against in this way. They do want this barrier removed,” he said.
The proposed legislation would remove the driving test requirement for certain age groups, but it would still mandate in-person license renewals at a DMV location every one to four years, depending on the driver’s age. Drivers aged 79 and 80 would need to renew their licenses in person every four years. Those between 81 and 86 would renew every two years in person, while individuals aged 87 and older would be required to renew annually in person. A vision test would also be required for all age groups.
New legislation allows for reporting of unsafe driving
The Road Safety and Fairness Act would also enable family members to report concerns about unsafe driving. Currently, Illinois is one of just five states that does not permit immediate family members to raise issues about a relative’s driving abilities. However, this new legislation, supported by AARP Illinois, seeks to change that policy.
License renewal changes are just one of the many changes states are seeing for driving laws across the nation which are consistently being updated.
