Ill. Gov. Quinn signs "common sense" traffic safety measures

Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn signed two traffic safety measures Monday. Quinn said in a press release that the new laws are “common sense measures that will help all motorists in Illinois arrive at their destinations safely.”

• The first measure requires all passengers in a vehicle to wear a seatbelt.
• Under current law, only front seat riders have to buckle up all the time, while people in the backseat only have to wear a seatbelt if they are under 18 years old.
• The new law doesn’t apply to emergency vehicles, buses or cabs.

• The other measure bans people from riding in trailers, farm wagons and other vehicles towed on a public highway. Exceptions are made for farm-related activities and parades.

Last year Illinois experienced one of its best years ever in traffic safety. According to the release, the state has seen two consecutive years with less than 1,000 traffic fatalities, and seatbelt usage increased by almost 30 percent (64.5 percent to nearly 93 percent) from 1998 to 2010.