Illinois Announces Dramatic Gains in Traffic Safety

01/04/2010

State officials tasked with promoting traffic safety and helping motorists hold down their average auto insurance rate may be able to learn from the example set by Illinois over the past year.

According to the office of Governor Pat Quinn, there were fewer than 1,000 traffic fatalities statewide in 2009, marking the safest year on Illinois roadways in 88 years.

"Throughout the year, the Illinois State Police has partnered with the Illinois Department of Transportation and local law enforcement agencies to implement safety programs that target crashes on our roadways," said Illinois State Police Director Jonathon Monken.

Monken noted that the state's improved safety figures were due to increased efforts to combat distracted driving while also working to improve teen driver safety and more widespread seat belt usage.

Statewide seat belt usage is now said to exceed 91 percent in Illinois, up from about 76 percent in 2003. To further boost traffic safety and help keep auto insurance rates in check, the state has also enacted a new law restricting drivers under the age of 19 from using cell phones behind the wheel, while also banning their use for all drivers in school and construction zones.

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