SPRINGFIELD -- Two years ago, Illinois law changed to take driving privileges away from people convicted of not having auto insurance.

But despite the threat of a three-month license suspension, statistics appear to show uninsured motorists are driving anyway.

Since July 1, 2007, more than 115,000 Illinois drivers have lost their licenses after being convicted of driving without up-to-date insurance, according to state numbers. About 68,000 licenses were suspended last year, and about 31,000 so far this year.

The goal of the law, said state Rep. Bill Black, R-Danville, was clearly to keep people from driving without insurance.

While he is glad to see people getting punished under his plan, he gets frustrated every time he reads about someone getting busted for not having insurance.

"It's just not working," Black said. "There are thousands of people driving without insurance."

Henry Haupt, spokesman for Secretary of State Jesse White, has a different view, based on the number of people who have lost their licenses

"We do think the law is working," said Haupt.

He said when someone is convicted, they receive a letter explaining when their license is officially suspended, and when the suspension ends. There's also a $100 fee to get driving rights back after three months.

If the numbers stay up, the question becomes how to truly convince people to buy insurance, rather than risk driving without it. Kevin Martin, executive director of the Illinois Insurance Association, said between 12 percent and 15 percent of Illinoisans go without insurance - a number that has remained steady for years.

One response in other states has been to allow police to have an uninsured driver's car impounded. Martin said that's probably not fair to someone who's insured and is cited because they just don't have their insurance card with them.

Just this year, lawmakers approved a plan that could mean up to one year in jail time for uninsured drivers who cause an accident. That plan awaits final action from Gov. Pat Quinn.

It was inspired by the death of Michael Dean, a Johnston City native and a Southern Illinois University alumnus. He was killed in a 2006 accident by an uninsured driver.

Only time will tell if that works as a deterrent more than the license suspensions.

"We've never really found anything that actually works," Martin said.