LAWS & REGULATIONS

Illinois has more backroads than it can count, and drivers can get lost quickly without adequate preparation. This list of information can be used to prepare drivers for everything essential in Illinois’ car insurance concerns – except keeping drivers from getting lost on its backroads.

Minimum Requirements for Car Insurance in Illinois

• Illinois’ Department of Insurance informs every Illinois driver that liability coverage and underinsured motorist coverage are both mandatory on all vehicles registered in the state.
• Liability Coverage minimums:
  • $20,000 per single bodily injury or death.
  • $40,000 per multiple bodily injury or deaths.
  • $15,000 for property damage.
  • $20,000 per person for uninsured motorists.
  • $40,000 per accident for uninsured motorists.
• Illinois law allows for fines and suspensions for drivers who do not comply with the mandatory vehicle insurance laws.

New Driver Licensing Requirements

• Applicants under the age of 21 must follow the graduated drivers license program which begins at age 15. An applicant in this program:
  • Must complete an approved driver education course
  • Must be accompanied by a licensed driver age 21 or older at all times, and may not drive between the hours of 10 pm and 6 am (11 pm and 6 am Fridays and Saturdays)
  • Must log 50 hours of drive time including 10 hours of nighttime driving
  • Must refrain from cell phone use, including hands-free, handheld and texting, at all times
• Applicants who pass the first phase and are 16 to 17 years old may move into the initial licensing phase. Restrictions and requirements in this phase include:
  • For the first 12 months, passengers under the age of 20 are limited to one (unless the individual is an immediate family member).
  • After the first 12 months, one passenger may ride in the front, and the number of passengers in the vehicle must not exceed the number of seat belts.
  • All cell phone use is prohibited, except in case of emergency.
• Applicants ages 18 to 20 who pass the initial phases may enter the full licensing phase. In this phase, a clean driving record must be maintained to obtain a regular Illinois drivers license.
• Vision Exam. A visual acuity of at least 20/40 must be determined for each applicant to pass the vision exam. Applicants with a visual accutiy of 20/41 to 20/70 will be restricted to daylight driving only. Applicants must also have a field of vision of 140 degrees.
• Written Test. The written exam requires applicants to identify traffic signs by shape, color and/or symbol, identify pavement markings, identify traffic signals and answer true/false and multiple choice questions based on the Illinois Rules of the Road.
• Road Skills Test. Applicants taking the road skills test must provide a vehicle that is properly registered, insured, licensed and maintained. A licensed driver must drive the vehicle to and from the testing site.
• The applicant’s skills will be tested in the following areas:
  • Safely starting the vehicle
  • Backing 50 feet
  • Three point turn
  • Grade parking
  • Starting uphill from a parked position
  • Starting downhill from a parked position
  • Control vehicle while obeying all traffic signs, signals and markings
• Three attempts to pass each test within one year are permitted for each applicant.
• Fees. The Illinois Secretary of State lists the following fees for Illinois drivers licenses:
  • Ages 18-20, $15
  • Ages 21-68, $30
  • Ages 69-80, $5
  • Ages 81-86, $2
  • Ages 87 and older, no fee

DUI/DWI Laws

• BAC limit: .08 Illinois enforces a Zero Tolerance Law to combat underage DUI. Valuable information about this program can be found at the Illinois Secretary of State’s website. According to the Illinois DUI Fact Book, the following is a list of the state’s penalties for DUI convictions:
• First Offense – Class A misdemeanor:
  • Minimum 1 year driving suspension (2 years if the driver is under age 21)
  • Suspension of vehicle registration
  • $500 license re-instatement fee
  • Minimum $500 fine
  • Minimum 100 hours of community service
  • Additional penalties are required for convictions involving under age passengers and injury collisions
• Second Offense – Class A misdemeanor:
  • Minimum 5 days of imprisonment or 240 hours of community service
  • Minimum of 5-year license suspension (if occurring within 5 years of prior conviction)
  • Suspension of vehicle registration
  • $500 license re-instatement fee
  • Additional penalties are required for convictions involving under age passengers and injury collisions
• Third Offense (Aggravated DUI) – Class 2 felony:
  • Minimum 10-year license suspension
  • Suspension of vehicle registration
  • $500 license re-instatement fee
  • Additional penalties are required for convictions involving under age passengers and injury collisions
• Additional offenses receive more severe penalties including increased fines, extended imprisonment and permanent loss of driving penalties.

Texting & Driving Laws

Illinois has banned texting and the use of handheld cell phone devices for all drivers, according to Distraction.gov. All cell phone use, whether hands-free or handheld, has been banned for bus drivers and novice drivers. All drivers, while driving in school or construction zones, are banned from all cell phone use.

Unique Laws

Illinois boasts some great laws on its books. For instance, residents under the age of 21 may legally drink alcohol only if enrolled in a culinary program. In Normal, making faces at a dog is prohibited, and, for those who drive, “repetitive driving” down Moline’s 23rd Avenue is illegal!

STATS

Best Cheap Car Insurance Quotes for Illinois

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CheapCarInsurance.net Methodology

Car insurance quotes are for one car and one driver who has state minimum coverage with $500 comprehensive and collision deductibles. The hypothetical driver is 40 years old, female, married, employed, a college graduate, and has good credit. She has no moving violations, accidents, claims, or lapse in coverage. The vehicles are assumed to be garaged on premises, used primarily for commuting, and driven 16,000 miles per year. Car insurance quotes include commonly available discounts and are estimates and not guaranteed.

Average Car Insurance Premiums

NAIC.org reports that Illinois’ insurance premiums have historically remained modestly below the national average. The state’s average auto insurance premiums as a percentage of income reached a record low in 2008 but has remained higher since then.
[lineChartAverageCarInsPrem state=’Illinois’]
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Drunk Driving Fatalities

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that Illinois’ drunk driving fatalities have steadily risen since 2010 with the exception of a dip in 2013. The numbers now surpass the national average by a wide margin.
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Teen Drinking and Driving

Illinois’ teen drinking and driving percentage edges out the national average percentage. The Center for Disease Control reports that Illinois accurately reflects the national average in this respect.
[barChart_Teen_Drinking_Driving state=’Illinois’]

Vehicular Theft in Illinois

The FBI holds promising news for Illinois’ vehicle theft numbers. Since 2011, when Illinois was almost on par with the national average, the state’s numbers have fallen off well below the nation’s.
[lineChart_Motor_Vehicle_Theft state=’Illinois’]
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RESOURCES

State Department of Insurance

Illinois Department of Insurance
320 W. Washington
Springfield, IL 62767
(866) 445-5364
(217) 782-4515
www.insurance.illinois.gov
Get Directions

Department of Transportation

Illinois Department of Transportation
2300 S. Dirksen Parkway
Springfield, IL 62764
(217) 782-2937
www.dot.state.il.us
Get Directions

Department of Motor Vehicles

Illinois Secretary of State
Driver Services
213 State Capitol
Springfield, IL 62756
(800) 252-8980 toll free in Illinois
(217) 785-3000 out of state
www.cyberdriveillinois.com
Get Directions