Secretary of State George H. Ryan announces his "Safe Driver Renewal"
program at the recent Chicago Auto Show. With legislative approval,
motorists with clean driving records could simply obtain asticker for
the back of their licenses at renewal time instead of visiting a driver
facility.
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The number of visits that safe motorists must make
to a Driver Services facility to renew their licenses
would be cut under a new "Safe Driver Renewal"
proposal, announced at the Chicago Auto Show in February.
Under this initiative, each year about 1.1 million
motorists with clean driving records could renew their
licenses over the telephone or through the mail. Currently, safe drivers are required to take only a vision test
when they visit a facility to renew their licenses.
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I believe this "Safe Driver Renewal" program is a
way to reward safe drivers and a way to use taxpayer
dollars more efficiently. It is estimated that waiting
lines at driver facilities could be reduced by as much as
50 percent, and the state could save up to $400, 000
annually by reducing the cost of producing licenses.
Legislation seeking the necessary changes in Illinois'
driver's license system to implement "Safe Driver
Renewal" was introduced recently in the General Assembly. The legislation would extend from four years
to eight years the time between visits to a driver facility
for safe drivers.
There are more than 6.5 million licensed drivers in
Illinois. However, "Safe Driver Renewal" is available
only to motorists between the ages of 21 and 75. State
law requires more frequent renewals for drivers age 75
and older.
Participating drivers would need to have clean
records — no moving violations and no traffic crashes
that resulted in injuries or death.
No motorist with a drunk driving arrest would be
eligible for the program. Also excluded would be
school bus drivers, truck drivers and others who hold
commercial drivers licenses.
Drivers who qualify would receive a notice in the
mail along with instructions on how to complete the
renewal process over the telephone or via mail. Eventually, I hope to offer "Safe Driver Renewal" via fax
machine and over the Internet.
I am proposing that motorists use the existing
"Touch-Tone" renewal technology that is in place for
the telephone renewal of license plate stickers.
Using "Touch-Tone," motorists would dial a
number, pay the standard $10 renewal fee with a credit
card, answer a few required questions and enter a
renewal code number.
In about a week, motorists would receive a sticker in
the mail from my Driver Services Department marked
with the driver's name, address, license number and
new expiration date. The sticker would be placed on
the back of the license.
Eligible motorists would still have the option of
renewing their licenses in person when the license expires, or if they change their residence or other vital
information.
Currently, 11 states, including California, Michigan
and Arizona, offer qualified motorists some process of
license renewal that does not require a visit to a Driver
Services facility.
I am confident that the General Assembly will pass
the legislation allowing "Safe Driver Renewal" to be
implemented. It is a program that Illinois taxpayers and
motorists will applaud for its many benefits: government will be more efficient, waiting lines will be reduced, and modern technology will be put to use. •
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