If you hold an Illinois driver's license, several new driving laws in effect for 2023 may impact you.
According to Chicago personal injury attorney Lance D. Northcutt, one of the bigger changes is a shift in language for a number of laws related to traffic collisions. The change replaces the word "accident" with "crash."
“As a personal injury attorney, we see far too many crashes caused by drunk or distracted driving. We often make an effort here at the firm to not use the word ‘accident’ in these types of situations that would have been avoidable had a driver taken proper care behind the wheel. It is encouraging to see lawmakers acknowledging that these incidents are preventable,” Northcutt, an attorney with Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard, said in a statement.
But beyond the language adjustment comes several other notable new laws for drivers.
Here's a look at laws set to go into effect Jan. 1, 2023 that drivers in the state should know:
HB3772: Relief for Victims of Carjackings, Stolen Vehicles
As carjackings continue to rise across Illinois, lawmakers approved a bill in the spring that makes it so "a person shall not be liable for violations, fees, fines, or penalties during the period in which the motor vehicle was reported to the appropriate law enforcement agency as stolen or hijacked."
In order to be reimbursed for fees paid after the vehicle was reported stolen or hijacked, such as for impounding fees, "the owner or the agents of the owner or lessee must submit proof that a report concerning the motor vehicle was filed with a law enforcement agency in a timely manner."
Still, towing and storage fees can only be reimbursed up to a maximum of $1,00