Illinois law revises driver’s ed to help protect roadway workers
Springfield, IL — Driver’s education courses in Illinois must now feature lessons on safely navigating roadway construction zones, under a new state law.
Signed by Gov. J.B. Pritzker (D) on Aug. 9 and effective immediately, S.B. 3151 requires any school district offering driver’s ed courses to include instruction on awareness of workers in highway construction zones. The goal: reducing incidents and protecting the lives of both drivers and construction workers.
In addition, courses must include instruction on special hazards associated with highway construction and maintenance zones, emergency situations, railroad approaches and crossings.
According to data from the National Work Zone Safety Information Clearinghouse, 821 fatal crashes occurred in U.S. work zones in 2022, resulting in 891 fatalities. That same year, Illinois recorded 28 fatal crashes in work zones, resulting in 31 deaths.
“Ensuring the safety of our highways and construction zones requires a united effort,” Sen. Steve Stadelman (D-Rockford), a co-sponsor of the bill, said in a press release. “Giving our drivers the knowledge they need to maneuver construction zones safely is of the utmost importance.”
Sens. Laura M. Murphy (D-Des Plaines) and Jason Plummer (R-Vandalia) also co-sponsored the bill.
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