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" i am curently in drivers ed and we have to have 50 hours worth of driving which i personally think is stupid! also i wont even be able to get my liense on my 16th birthday! i am going to be getting it 3 months after! so i think this curfew law is not fair due to the fact that its the parents choice when they want there kids to be home not the states. and dont you think that there is going to be a possible increase in wrecks due the fact that all the teenagers under 18 are going to be rushing and/or speeding to get home on time so you dont get in trouble?? "

" I live in a small town and yes, cops are pulling everyone who looks under the age of 18. I don't feel that this law is appropriate for trying to keeps teens from getting into wrecks. Teen drunk driving doesn't always happen at night, wrecks occur AT ALL TIMES of the day. I also think that this law will not decrease the number of teen wrecks after the set time, PARENTS are the ones who should be enforcing their child's curfew, not the state. "

" I know that teenagers definately don't have the same insight and experience as their parents, but where do their feelings fit in? After all they are the future. It is true that teenagers make up the highest percentage of accidents, however not all of them do. Is it fair to punish all teenagers with the mistakes made my others? Those that have gotten in accidents have been punished with cost, guilt etc. Plus how is the new curfew law going to work? If 17 year olds have no legal curfew, yet they can only drive until 10 on weeknights and 11 on weekends, what will happen? "

" One of two things will happen. Witnessing the curent 6 month, 1 passenger rule, absolutely no one follows it. The same could occur with the new curfew law, and just increase the crime rate. The other option is even worse. When teenagers do decide to drink, contrary to common belief, they will designate drivers. They are given much less credit than they deserve. With the new curfew law, the designated driver is not going to risk their own driving records to return everyone home safely. Therefore, more teenagers will have sleepovers, so no one has to drive home, where everyone can drink. This will kill opportunities for them to make intelligent decisions to not drink. Just remember parents, gaurdians, legislature, you survived without these laws and you turned out well enough to create them. "

" Of course teens have more accidents. They are rookies. Granted car accidents can be devastating, but don't act like it's rocket science that the people with the least experience have the most accidents. Personally, the can change the driving age to 30 for all I care "

" NO driving until you are 21, Problem Solved................... "

" So Bruce, where are your statistics? Too much time is being wasted on 16 year olds and driving. If you are really interested in stopping teen accidents, stop teen driving. How much money is wasted every year in Springfield on this subject? Once again, parental rights are being stepped on by government intrusion. "

" The new laws are good and need to be tougher. Driving is a priviledge not a right. The statistics prove that teens have more accidents by percentage than any other age group. Its the inexperience that creates the difference. Spending more time learning is a smart plan. After all one does not learn to read in a one semester course. It takes years and years of practice. "

" is going to happen is this is going to reduce the number of peopel who actually recieve their license therefor reducing the amount of teen accidents looking like it was a good idea, then those who dont have their license will take the bus improving the municapal's econmy and helping reduce toxins in the air bettering the enviroment. But then the young people will not be able to have the freedom to get a job off the bus route, sky rocketing the unemployment rate causeing more homeless people on the streets creating higher crime rates before you know it we will have total anarchy! dogs and cats living together just chaos i tell you CHAOS! "

" Actually a gang does have the right to assembly as long as they don't do anything that strips another person of their rights or breaks the law. "

" Curfew laws have been on the books for years, this is nothing new and parents should spend more time with their teens driving "

" Hey "Curfew" . . . PLEASE... cite me the source of your information. I want to know what city you are referring to. Constitutional right to assemble as it applies to a curfew??? Don't insult people on here. Next thing you will say is a gang is protected by this assembly "right" in the Constitution. "

" They can ticket you for curfew violations, but they will lose in court now if you fight it. A curfew law in another city was ruled unconstitutional as a violation of your constitutional right to assembly. Your right to assembly includes your right to assemble after the curfew time. That includes travel to and from the assembly as well. Cities everywhere still have these laws on the books, but if someone fights the ticket they have at least a plausible argument of losing now. "

" Go to the State of Illinois web page and read the statistics on teenage drinking and driving. If we restrict all teens driving and save 10% of the lives lost due to underage drinking and driving we have not done enough. Here is the law we really need.............."Any underage person caught A) Violating any law prohibiting the consumption of alcoholic beverage. B.) Riding in the vehicle of any underage driver that has violated any law prohibiting the consumption of alcoholic beverage. C.) Caught attending any gathering where underage persons are allowed to consume alcoholic beverages shall forfeit the right to maintain or receive a drivers permit of license in the state of Illinois until the age of 21. If you include drugs in the law it would set a precedence of behavior that would save thousands of lives as well as millions in property damages and medical costs yearly. My question to you;.......Is your teenagers life worth the effort? "

" Emma: Judging by the thought put into your well written letter, and regarding your fourth and fifth paragraphs, you'd undoubtedly be on the 'honors' system. But, just remember: good driving is like so many things in life. It can't be taught. But it can be learned. "

" More laws given reason for police to pull people over, which in turn will make more money for our state government and insurance companies. Just like the seatbelt tax...I mean seatbelt law. "

" of course it's not well thought out,it's the government! "

" Yes Emily... this is your lawmakers passing "feel good" legislation that really does nothing but put a great burden on parents, young drivers and police. Jesse White and every legislator who voted for this disaster should realize the great cost in money and time it will cost the parents of these teens. And what it really comes down to "are you a good driver or bad driver". No amount of training or laws is going to make a good driver bad. "