Illinois Teen Driving Laws and Teen Accident Statistics (Part 1)

Many states, including Illinois, have adopted restrictions for teen drivers in order to try to ensure that teen drivers have as much training and supervision as possible to minimize the risk of serious car accidents. In Illinois, in order to teen drivers to get an initial driver’s license, they must complete a state-approved driver education course, and their parent or guardian must certify that the teen has completed at least 50 hours of driving practice (with at least 10 hours of night driving). At this point, teen drivers who are granted initial driver’s license will have to comply with the following restrictions:

• No driving between 10pm and 6am Sundays through Thursdays and 11pm through 6am Fridays and Saturdays (unless local curfews are more restrictive)
• No use of cellphones for drivers younger than 19 years old unless there is an emergency
• No convictions of traffic offenses before turning 18 years old (otherwise a full driver’s license will likely not be grante)
• No texting while driving whatsoever.

The primary reason for having such driving restrictions on teen drivers is that car accidents are the leading cause of death for teenagers in the U.S. Other shocking teen driver accident statistics that have been compile by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention include the following:

• Teen drivers between 16 and 19 years old are about three times more likely than drivers older than 20 to be involve in a fatal car accident
• Although individuals between 15 and 24 years make up about 14 percent of the U.S. population, this group represents about 30 percent of the cost of car accident injuries.

At the law firm of Hassakis & Hassakis, P.C., our experienced Mount Vernon car accident lawyers have been providing client-centered representation to our Southern Illinois clients since 1950. Our trusted attorneys focus on our clients’ needs, and we do everything we can to help them get the maximum possible compensation for their losses and injuries so they can focus on recovery and moving on with their life. If you have lost a loved one due to any type of injury due to vehicle accident, contact us by calling (888) 896-9381 for a free, thorough assessment of your case, along with professional advice regarding the best manner in which to move forward.