Springfield, IL – State Senator Michael Frerichs (D-Gifford) passed a bill last Friday that addressed the need for driver's education courses to tackle the issue of distracted driving. Senate Bill 1557 obtained the unanimous support of the Senate.

Frerichs' bill would require high school driver education courses to acknowledge distracted driving as a major traffic safety issue by adding classroom instruction on distracted driving to their curriculum. The legislation was proposed in response to a fatal accident that occurred in Champaign County when a teen driver occupied with downloading ring tones to her cell phone struck bicyclist Matthew Wilhelm. Cindy McAvoy, the aunt of Mr. Wilhelm, testified in favor of this bill in front of the Senate Education Committee.

"There has been a national increase of tragic traffic accidents because drivers are focusing too much on non-driving related tasks, such as using a cell phone or other devices," said Senator Frerichs. "This bill requires schools to warn and teach students about the dangers of distracted driving in their driver's education programs in an effort to prevent future needless deaths and accidents."

Currently there are no rules pertaining to distracted driving required in a high school's driver education program.

The legislation will now move to the House of Representatives for consideration.