Illinois Sucks

[StlSluggers]

Illinois Updates Statewide Speed Camera Law
Illinois clarifies a number of points regarding its upcoming freeway photo radar program.

The Illinois General Assembly unanimously adopted updates to its freeway speed camera law earlier this month. The changes clarify how the state's upcoming automated ticketing program will be administered.

One of the new provisions directs between $125 and $250 from each citation into the Transportation Safety Highway Hire-back Fund. This pot of money is then used to give a 50-100 percent hourly pay bonus to police officers who issue more tickets in construction zones. This duty may include sitting in a photo radar van belonging to camera vendor ACS while the machine determines the guilt or innocence of passing motorists. ACS officials are currently on trial for bribing Canadian police officers to secure a lucrative speed camera contract in the city of Edmonton.

The legislation also denies local jurisdictions the use of "home rule" authority to establish their own speed camera program. It also places the burden of proof on the state to show that at least one "worker" was present in the construction zone if the citation is challenged in court. The law does not say that this worker needs to be visible or operating equipment for the ticket to be valid.

Key details for the program remain the same. Anyone photographed in the reduced-speed 45 MPH zone on a freeway will be mailed a $375 ticket for the first offense. The second ticket will cost $1000 and comes with a 90-day license suspension. Drivers will also face higher insurance premiums as points are assessed for each ticket. The first offense raises rates for 4-5 years, while the second offense remains on the record for a minimum of 7 years. Officials have not ruled out placing more than one van on the same freeway, so motorists find $1375 in tickets waiting in the mailbox two weeks after a single highway trip at 55 MPH.

[knapplc]

Note to self - do NOT speed in Illinois!!!!

[Coppermine]

Note to self - do NOT speed in Illinois!!!!

Not to self - do not DRIVE in Illinois! Seriously though, why would I? I can make my own deep dish pizza.

[Art Vandelay]

That seems a bit excessive. If I ever make my way back to Illinois I'll rack up $5,000 in fines then bounce.

[teddy ballgame]

In Massachusetts if you're under 18 and get a speeding ticket the penalty is:

90-day license suspension, minimum $50 fine, plus additional $10 for each mph in excess of 10 mph over posted speed limit, plus a $50 surcharge, completion of State Courts Against Road Rage (SCARR) course and attitudinal retraining

Which doesn't sound all that bad but you have to pay for the SCARR class yourself which costs somewhere in the hundreds of dollars.

[Snakes Gould]

wow those penalties are quite harsh.

[ThatDude]

I'll be starting the search for a new route to work today, as my current route takes me through a construction zone.

This sucks pretty hard. I've got a knack for racking up tickets by using the I-Pass lane to buzz through the toll booths when I'm up in Chicago, so they've probably already got me on their watch list.

[GiantsFan14]

wow that is incredibly harsh, i guess we have it easy out here in california...i've been pulled over twice for speeding, once going 50 in a 35 zone and another time going 90 in a 65 zone, both times the officer just told me to slow down and then sent me on my way...its either really lax in california or its true that being a 21 year old white male is awesome

[Coppermine]

[The Artful Dodger]

I've seen such speed cameras before in London. You can find them on the outskirts of town and if you go over the speed limit, you'll see it flash, which entails a steep fine. If you get three flashes, your driver's license is revoked.