Older adults in Illinois will have better access to driver training programs that may cut their insurance costs, under a new law state Rep. Jeff Keicher (R-Sycamore) helped to pass this spring as Chief Co-Sponsor.
Together with the bill’s Primary Sponsor, Rep. Dan Brady (R-Normal) Keicher worked with the National Safety Council (NSC) and advocates for older adults to pass HB 2570, which allows Illinois drivers 55 and older to take certified driver safety training courses from the comfort of their homes via eLearning. The bill was signed into law today by Governor JB Pritzker.
“This new law opens up access to driver training to more mature drivers in Illinois,” Rep. Keicher said. “Through eLearning, Illinoisans 55 and over can easily access the instruction they need not only to stay safe on the roadways but also to reduce their vehicle insurance premiums.”
“The NSC applauds the signing of this legislation and appreciates the leadership in ensuring eLearning as an option for insurance discounts as it not only improves the safety of our roads but also increases the accessibility of these educational courses,” said Mark Chung, vice president of roadway practice at the National Safety Council.
Participants in eLearning programs receive the same content as classroom students, but with the added flexibility of accessing information in convenient locations. NSC eLearning courses are highly interactive, presenting real-life driving situations, hazard recognition scenarios and defensive driving techniques. The goal is to teach drivers to avoid collisions and traffic violations by changing risky driving habits and behaviors. For more course information, visit nsc.org/maturedriver.
“AARP Illinois is pleased to see Illinois joining the list of states that recognize how beneficial it is to offer online learning for driver safety courses,” said Bob Gallo, AARP Illinois State Director. “This new law will give many more older adults access to courses that will keep them safe on the roads while also helping them to save money through insurance discounts.”
“This new law is truly a win for all involved,” said Kevin Martin, executive director of the Illinois Insurance Association. “eLearning will allow drivers 55 and over to easily access training that will save them money on their insurance premiums without placing any additional mandates on insurance carriers.”
For questions or more information, please call Rep. Keicher’s office at (815) 748-3494.