The Advocates for Highway & Auto Safety recently released their annual report, identifying the laws that are needed in each state to improve highway safety and reduce traffic accident injury and death.  Illinois ranked relatively well, with only three areas of concern noted.

According to the Advocates, Illinois needs an all-rider motorcycle helmet law, a minimum age of 16 to obtain a learner's permit, and stronger nighttime restriction provisions. In contrast, Indiana, while improving, still has gaps in its safety provisions. The Advocates pointed to the need for laws regarding graduated driver's licenses, an all-rider motorcycle helmet law, an ignition interlock requirement for drivers convicted of drunk driving, a child endangerment law and several others.

Other neighboring states, including Iowa, Kentucky and Wisconsin, had deficits similar to those in Indiana. However, none of the states in the region were counted among the eight states in the United States listed by the Advocates as being dangerously behind in the adoption of key safety laws.

Source:Advocates for Highway & Auto Safety, "9TH ANNUAL ROADMAP TO STATE HIGHWAY SAFETY LAWS", Jan. 2012.