Coffey Cosponsors Legislation that Benefits Senior Citizen Drivers
Springfield, IL…State Representative Mike Coffey (R-Springfield) joined lawmakers in support of raising the age for mandatory road tests to 87 for senior drivers renewing a driver’s license in Illinois. House Bill 1226 was filed last week with bipartisan support and aims to end discriminatory practice of requiring behind-the-wheel tests for seniors based solely on age.
“This piece of legislation helps alleviate an unnecessary requirement for senior drivers in Illinois,” said Rep. Coffey. “Not only will this change lower the costs for senior drivers to retain their driving privileges, but it will also remove assumptions from state government on whether or not seniors are deemed eligible to drive based on their age.”
Illinois is the only state in the nation that requires behind-the-wheel driver tests for seniors once a driver turns 79 years of age. The Secretary of State and lawmakers took the initiative to work together to change senior driving requirements and update them to benefit constituents across each district. If passed and signed into law, HB 1226 would go into effect on July 1, 2026.
For more information contact Rep. Coffey’s office at 217-782-0053 or coffey@ilhousegop.org.
Representative Mike Coffey serves the constituents of Illinois’ 95th House District that includes parts of Sangamon County, including portions of the City of Springfield and Villages of Chatham and Rochester as well as parts of Macon and Christian Counties.
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