Teen drivers in Illinois now have the some of the strictest laws in the nation to follow.

New teen driving laws took effect Jan. 1, and they include an earlier driving curfew and requiring more hours on a permit before getting a license.

Anyone 17 and younger must be home by 10 p.m. on weekdays and by 11 p.m. on weekends.

The new laws were proposed by Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley to keep minors off the streets during potentially dangerous times.

Although DeKalb has its own curfew for minors who are out, regardless of whether or not they are driving, the city now must adopt all statewide driving rules.

Even with all the new rules the police have to enforce, DeKalb Police Lt. Carl Leoni does not think there will be much of an effect.

“I think overall [the teen driving laws] are followed pretty well,” Leoni said.
DeKalb County Sheriff Roger Scott said a lot of it is self-policing.

Despite the good intentions of the new laws, they have had a negative effect on programs offered at surrounding Illinois high schools.

Safe Rides, a teen driving program run by New Trier High School that had teen volunteers drive underage teens home late at night, is now illegal under the new laws.

In DeKalb County, no such program was offered for high schoolers.

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