Drivers 79 and older will be required to renew their license, but they will not have to take a driver's test for the renewal process.

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) — A new Illinois law is raising the mandatory senior driving test age from 79 to 87. 

Drivers 79 and older will be required to renew their license, but they will not have to take a driver's test for the renewal process. Anyone 75 or older with a commercial license will still need to take a driver's test to keep driving for work.

Democrats and Republicans said this is one of the biggest issues for Illinois seniors.

"When was the last time you saw a senior citizen gunning it past you checking her social media going 100 miles an hour," asked Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias. "I mean, the data and anecdotally the evidence bears out that senior citizens tend to be safe drivers."

The law gives people the ability to report their senior family members to the Secretary of State's office if they're suffering from a severe illness like dementia and should not drive.

Concerned family members will fill out a form and send it to the medical board for review. The board could then ask the driver to provide them with medical documents within 30 days.

"We have had a persistent issue with discriminating against older folks in this state," said Rep. Jeff Keicher (R-Sycamore). "This bill goes part of the way towards resolving that, but we have further to go."

House Bill 1226 passed unanimously out of the Illinois House and Senate earlier this spring. The new law will take effect on July 1.

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