Governments don't have all the power.
This is not to refute the argument that taxing institutions are too powerful. Even those who hold such beliefs must admit that there may be further excesses in some situations.
Consider House Bill 4431, a proposal to eliminate mandatory road tests for drivers age 75 and older. In October 2022, a reader called us about this topic and pointed out that Illinois was the only state with such a rule. That allowed Illinois Associated Press media editors to ask interview questions of then-Secretary of State nominees Rep. Dan Brady, R-Bloomington, and Rep. Alexi Giannulias, Democrat. was completed.
Both men said they would study the issue, but neither expressed strong feelings. After taking over from longtime public servant Jesse White, Giannoulias has modernized chauffeur services in a number of ways, setting the stage for advocates to bring the reforms closer to reality.
State Rep. Jeff Keicher (R-Sycamore) introduced HB 4431, which currently has dozens of sponsors. State Sen. Don DeWitt (R-St. Louis) Charles is ready to help on the floor. An AARP release supporting the bill cites DeWitt as denouncing “unfounded assumptions about older drivers,” and Kacher's assertion that “there is simply no evidence to show,” and that older drivers are It is said that additional roadside inspections are required compared to the population of the United States.
AARP also cited a 2022 Illinois Department of Transportation report that said, “The crash rate for drivers 75 and older remained virtually unchanged, with a rate of 24.39 crashes per 1,000 drivers, compared to 16-year-olds. “This is lower than drivers in every age group from 69 to 69 years old.” ”
The Highway Loss Data Institute, part of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, compiled numbers going back to 2016 (tinyurl.com/OldDriverStudy). Because even back then, Illinois was an outlier. The report sorted out the issue through insurance claims and pointed out that “the decline in personal injury liability rates for older drivers may be the result of excluding older drivers, who are at higher risk of crashes, from the driving population.'' However, he also observed that “elderly drivers are in a dangerous situation.'' In metropolitan areas, older drivers are more likely to use public transportation in their daily lives compared to older drivers in non-urban areas. ” suggests that many older drivers are highly motivated to take and pass their road test.
If road safety were our only priority, we would be taking road tests every year and the failure rate would increase. But governments don't have all the power, so we use decades of data on vehicle use, police reports, traffic surveys, and more to find out how many licensed drivers The majority has devised a rational system that aims to produce a result that is safe enough to keep traffic open to the public. moving.
Increasing efficiency requires balancing competing interests. Lawmakers’ support for HB 4431 represents a shift in priorities. Regardless of the outcome, the debate is sound and proves that state power has its limits.
• Scott T. Holland writes for Shaw Local News Network on state government issues. Follow him on X @sth749. You can contact him at: sholand@shawmedia.com.
