Come January 1, 2014, motorists in Illinois will be allowed to drive faster and forced to talk less, via cell phone, as they navigate the streets and highways on the “IL side” of the Mississippi.
That comes on the heels of new legislation signed into law by Illinois Governor Pat Quinn, which has drawn mixed reviews and controversy from both politicians and state residents, and for good reason.
Who isn’t sick of drivers who inadvertently miss traffic lights, fail to signal or drift aimlessly between lanes because they are distracted by their cell phone conversations?
And who hasn’t experienced the frustration of driving behind some jerk who needlessly slows down the flow of traffic as they take in the scenery or just poke around? How about a mandatory minimum speed limit for these fools?
The new speeding law will allow an increase in the speed limit to 70 mph in Illinois’ rural interstates while, also, lowering the threshold at which speeders may exceed the speed limit (from 31 to only 26 mph) before being classified as a misdemeanor.
In addition, the new cell phone law will make it illegal to talk on a cell phone while driving. It is already illegal to text and drive in Illinois. Fines will range from $75, for a first offense, up to $150.
However, the law will allow motorists to use hands-free devices, without penalty.
Research shows that drivers who use hand-held electronic devices are four times more likely to be involved in an accident. At the same time, the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety also suggests that even drivers using hands-free devices can still be distracted.
And a 2009 study by the American Journal of Public Health found a 9.1 percent increase in deaths on rural interstates due to increased speed limits. Something to consider.
So I guess it makes sense to restrict cell phone usage if you’re going to increase the speed limit. Maybe, then, folks will focus more on the road than their phone conversations. There are positives and negatives no matter what side you’re on.
If we’re allowed to drive faster we will, obviously, save time in commuting from point A to B. But the faster we go, the more it eats a hole in our wallet because we burn more gas due to a loss of fuel efficiency. So pick your poison.
Yet, realistically, will it really change the overall behavior of drivers in the bi-state area?
Will Missouri motorists automatically hang up their cell phones as they cruise into the “Land of Lincoln” and will Illinois drivers wait until they cross the Mississippi into the “Show Me State” to talk on their cell phone? I doubt it.
And don’t troopers and police officers already have enough on their plate without having to enforce another new law and will they make these new rules their priority? We shall see.
Email: jtingram_1960@yahoo.com; Twitter@JamesTIngram.
