NEW ILLINOIS LAW CRACKS DOWN ON SPEEDERS ONCE AGAIN

A new Illinois law has dropped the threshold for when your routine speeding ticket becomes a criminal offense.

Speeding first became criminalized as a misdemeanor in 2011. Driving more than 31 miles over the limit was upgraded to a Class B Misdemeanor, while speeding 40 and over became a Class A. Starting January 1, 2013, driving 25 miles over the limit is enough to trigger a Class B Misdemeanor. While a Class B misdemeanor is punishable by up to six months in jail, a Class A is punishable by up to one year. Both carry maximum fines of $2,500.

In a bid to crack down on lead-footed drivers even more, the new law bars you from receiving supervision if you speed over 25 miles. Supervision is essentially a warning to stay out of trouble and is not considered a conviction for criminal law or insurance purposes. Now, if you plead or are found guilty of speeding over 25 miles, the judge must convict you.

If you have questions about this or another related criminal or traffic matter, please contact Matt Keenan at 847-568-0160 or email matt@mattkeenanlaw.com.

(Besides Skokie, Matt Keenan also serves the communities of Arlington Heights, Chicago, Deerfield, Des Plaines, Evanston, Glenview, Morton Grove, Mount Prospect, Niles, Northbrook, Park Ridge, Rolling Meadows, Wilmette and Winnetka.)