Monthly Archives: February 2024

New Illinois Traffic Laws For 2024

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The Illinois legislature was very active in 2023 introducing eight (8) new traffic laws that became active in January of 2024. Below is a breakdown of each new bill:

  1. HB 2431: Videoconferencing while driving will now be prohibited.
  2. HB 2582: Motorcycle licenses will no longer be offered to residents under the age of 18, with specific exceptions.
  3. HB 3876: Residents of Illinois who buy vehicles in another state must apply for registration and certificate of title no less than 45 days after the purchase of the vehicle.
  4. SB 0896: Auxiliary lighting on motorcycles may not emit blue lights. Auxiliary lights may only emit red light if they are actively braking.
  5. SB 1251: Operators of ambulances or other rescue vehicles must have specified training in the operation of that vehicle. In municipalities with population of under one million residents, sirens and lamps must be in operation at all times when pedestrians and other drivers are present, and when that vehicle has been called to a bona fide emergency or has been directed to disregard traffic laws in the operation of the vehicle. The ambulance must also slow down at red lights to achieve safe operation.
  6. SB 1526: The Department of Transportation must develop a mobile app that provides motorists with updated travel conditions.
  7. SB 1653: The Department of Transportation and local authorities must institute a pilot program to erect and maintain hazard bars, or visual signs and additional signage, for all viaducts and underpasses with a clearance of less than 15 feet. Hazard bars must hang at the same clearance level as the viaduct or underpass, and be located at least 500 feet in front of them.
  8. SB 2028: Requires best practices on stranded motorists to be included in Illinois Rules of the Road publications.

I think the most important new law is HB 2431 which outlaws videoconferencing wile driving. This would include facetime, zoom, webex or any other type of face to face calls while driving. This is an incredibly dangerous activity and it should not have taken this long to be enacted. Let’s hope our local and state law enforcements aggressively enforce this new law and will lead to less Illinois car accidents.

If you or a loved one has been serously injured in a Chicago car crash or Illinois truck accident, then call Chicago injury lawyer, Aaron J. Bryant, for a free legal consultation at 312-614-1076.

Are Highway Guardrails Safe For EV’s?

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A new study from the University of Nebraska concluded that nation’s guardrails are unable to handle electric vehicles (EV’s) which weigh thousands of pounds more than the average gas-powered sedan. The university’s “Midwest Roadside Safety Facility” conducted test crashes with an electric-powered pickup truck and a Tesla sedan by sending them into guardrails similar to those seen on U.S. roads and highways. The results of the tests found that our guardrails were not made to handle vehicles greater than 5,000 pounds. 

 The National Transportation Safety Board previously expressed concern last year about the safety risks that heavy electric vehicles pose if they collide with lighter vehicles gas powered vehicles. The safety board concluded that EV’s provide better protection for their occupants but can pose a more serious threat to those riding in gas powered vehicles due to the extreme weight discrepency. Electric vehicles typically weigh 20% to 50% more than gas-powered vehicles and have lower centers of gravity.

So the question that needs to be asked is what can be done to help prevent the potential dangers of EVs crashing into guardrails. The study recommends that there needs to be an “intensive collaboration”between auto makers and the U.S. government and safety boards to develop a plan to make the guardrails stronger and safer for all vehicles on the road. This seems like it would be a huge and very expensive undertaking to start replacing guardrails all over the country. I do not believe this was earmarked in the 2022 bipartisan infrastructure legislation. I think it would be a good idea for the Department of Transportation to look into what it would cost to replace or reinforce existing guardrails, especially in parts of the most dangerous (and steep) roads. I look forward to hearing what the Department of Transportation’s response to this study will be.

If you or a loved one has been seriously injured in a Chicago car accident or Illinois traffic accident, then call Chicago personal injury lawyer, Aaron J. Bryant, for a free legal consultation at 312-614-1076.