Important Change in Traffic Offense Cases

 Posted on March 16, 2015 in Traffic Offenses

Not surprisingly, traffic offense cases are among the most common type of criminal law cases. It is much less likely for an average member of the public to be charged with a more serious crime than it is to be cited for a traffic offense such as a speeding ticket, reckless driving, or even drunk driving. Regardless of the severity of the offense, it is advisable for anyone who has been charged with any type of criminal matter to seek the advice of legal counsel in order to best improve the chances of a successful outcome in their case.

A Change in Penalties

The prevalence of citizens charged with a traffic violation makes any change in the regulations involving these crimes especially important for many members of the public. According to media reports , a bill that was signed into law last August says that drivers who are pulled over in the state of Illinois will no longer need to surrender their license in exchange for a citation. Previously, the law required motorists to hand over their license to law enforcement as bail.

The New Law

The bill is known as Senate Bill 2583 and was sponsored by Senator Michael Noland from Elgin and State Representative John D’Amico from Chicago. According to its terms, drivers in the state no longer need to post their license as bail as they previously must have done in response to being charged with certain traffic violations. Instead, the new law considers a cited driver’s signature on the traffic ticket to be enough to ensure their appearance in court for the matter, or be forced to pay a fine if they do not appear.

The new law went into effect on January 1, 2015. A provision contained in the old law allowing the Secretary of State to suspend motorists’ driving privileges who do not comply with the terms of the citation remains in effect. The stated reason for the new law includes the fact that many people use their driver’s license as a form of identification in situations that require it. If they lose it, they can run into problems in their everyday affairs.

Criminal Defense Attorney

While the new law does not require motorists to surrender their license prior to their court appearance, many traffic violations still carry the possibility of license suspension if a driver is found guilty of the infraction. The Law Offices of Christopher M. Cosley have successful experience defending clients charged with a myriad of traffic violations in the Chicago area of Illinois. If you have been charged with such a crime, contact our experienced Rolling Meadows defense attorneys today for a consultation.