How new legislation could revise Illinois’ controversial senior road test mandate
Legislation introduced Thursday in the Illinois House seeks to ease road exam requirements for seniors, which have been criticized as age discrimination.
Previous attempts to alter state law mandating driving tests for those 79 and older stumbled in 2024, but this version should stick, said Republican state Rep. Jeff Keicher of Sycamore, who proposed reforms last year.
House Bill 1226 is being spearheaded by Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias who will hold a briefing next week to give further details.
“A lot of constituents pointed out the unfairness of what was in place and the secretary is listening, so I’m glad that this will move forward,” said Keicher.
Illinois is the only state in the U.S. with a mandatory road test for seniors.
The law requires drivers aged 79 and 80 to take a road exam if their four-year license renewal is up. For drivers aged 81 to 86, it’s every two years, and for those 87 and older, it’s yearly.
Groups like AARP said the policy was unfair and onerous, and pointed to a state report that found drivers age 75 and older had a crash rate of 24.39 per 1,000 drivers, the second lowest in Illinois.
The latest legislation would require anyone renewing a driver’s license who is 79 years or older to appear in person.
It also stipulates that people renewing licenses who are 87 years or older would need “to prove, by an actual demonstration, the applicant’s ability to exercise reasonable care in the safe operation of a motor vehicle.” That proviso also extends to those age 75 or older holding a commercial driver’s license who are renewing.
Also, the proposed law would allow immediate family members to submit information to the secretary of state’s office about the medical condition of a person if the condition interferes with safely driving a vehicle. That information must be submitted in writing and cannot be anonymous.
A hearing is expected on the policy in the coming weeks and it could be voted on in late March or early April, Keicher said.
The bill is “not perfect,” but should satisfy many constituents including seniors in their early 80s who reached out to complain about the law, he added.
It’s unlikely the vote will be unanimous, however.
Last year, some lawmakers cited a Highway Loss Data Institute/Insurance Institute for Highway Safety study on Illinois’ mandatory test. Compared to neighboring states, researchers found older drivers in Illinois were less risky and made fewer crash-related insurance claims.