The government of Illinois has been setting speed limits since before automobiles became the preferred method of transportation. In fact, the earliest Illinois speed limits were actually for livestock crossing over bridges-riders and drivers were required to slow the animals down to a walk for safety's sake. The first speed limit law relating to automobiles became effective in 1903. The law made the statewide speed limit a mighty 15 miles per hour. Now that we have cars capable of breaking 100 mph after only a few seconds of acceleration, 15 miles per hour seems extremely slow. However, at the time, 15 miles per hour seemed fast enough to be inviting trouble. This just goes to show that like so many other things, speed is simply a matter of perspective. Next time you are stuck doing the 20 mph speed limit in a school zone, just remind yourself that your great-great-great grandfather would probably accuse you of reckless driving. The speed limit did begin to rise in time, of course. In 1907, the speed limit went up to 20 miles per hour, and by 1911 it had climbed to 25 miles per hour.

As roads and cars got better, speed limits increased, too. In fact, from 1935 to 1957, there was no speed limit in effect at all, other than the Basic Speed Rule that allows drivers to drive only as fast as reasonable and proper based on current conditions. The Basic Speed law still exists, but after 1957 the state realized that some people's interpretations of "reasonable and proper" did not conform to reality. Maximum speed limits were added to keep drivers from reaching unsafe velocities.

Fast-forward to today...Illinois has speed limits everywhere, but it's easy to get in the habit of breaking them because so many other drivers do. What happens when you get caught?

Dangers of Speeding 

What's wrong with speeding, anyway? Aren't Illinois speed limits just another example of the government trying to spoil our fun? Not quite. Speeding can actually be quite dangerous. In fact, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, speeding plays a role in approximately 25% of deadly car crashes nationwide. Speeding is dangerous for two reasons. Read more...

Dealing With a Illinois Speeding Ticket 

In Illinois, you usually have a couple of different options for dealing with a speeding ticket. For a simple speeding ticket, the path of least resistance is to pay the fine by mail. Check the back of the ticket for instructions. It will tell you the amount to pay and when the fine is due. Read more...

Driver Points 

If you are convicted of an Illinois speeding ticket, points will be added to your license for the offense. Driving points add up, and once you get too many, the Secretary of State can take your license away. Read more...

How Illinois Police Determine Speeding 

There are several different methods that Illinois police can use to determine speeding. The most common method of measuring speed is by radar, of course. How does radar work? Without getting too technical, here is a simple explanation: radar guns fire off an electromagnetic signal that bounces off your car. The signal bounces off of your car and is reflected back to the radar device. As it bounces off of your car, the frequency of the signal changes, based on how fast your car is traveling. This is known as the Doppler Effect. By measuring the frequency of the return signal, the device can calculate your speed. Read more...

How To Beat a Illinois Speeding Ticket 

If you can, it's important to keep speeding tickets off of your driving record. Your insurance company will use them as an excuse to send your auto insurance rates through the roof. In Illinois, there are a couple of different ways to do this. The easiest is to request court supervision. Most Illinois courts will allow you to use this option two times each year. Court supervision means that as long as you attend defensive driving school as promised, the conviction won't show up on your record. In order to keep the ticket off your record, you must do three things: 1) Obtain agreement from the court, 2) Take a court-approved defensive driving course, and 3) make sure that the court receives proof that you completed the course within the allotted time. Read more...

Speeding Ticket Fines 

The fines for an Illinois speeding ticket depend on 2 factors: how fast you were going, and where you were when you got caught. If you were just on a normal road without any special circumstances, your fine should be $75 if you were going 1-20 miles per hour over the legal limit. However, if you were going 21-30 miles per hour above the legal limit, your fine amount would increase to $95. If you were speeding in a school zone, of course, the fine is even higher. Read more...

Illinois Defensive Driving/Traffic Schools 

Options for requesting defensive driving may be written on the back of your ticket, or you may need to contact the court handling your case. If you choose defensive driving, you do still have to pay for the ticket. In fact, you'll pay a little bit more out-of-pocket than you would if you just paid the fine. The savings you can achieve from keeping this violation off of your insurance, however, could be extensive. Read more...

Illinois Speed Limits 

The state of Illinois currently has a Basic Speed Law on the books. The Basic Speed law forbids drivers from going any faster than is reasonable and proper based on road conditions like traffic and weather.  However, one person's perception of "reasonable and proper" can vary significantly from someone else’s. For all of you speed demons out there, the state has also set maximum speed limits for different types of roads. Read more...

What To Do If You Got a Illinois Speeding Ticket

If you get a speeding ticket, there are several important things to remember. The first is to be polite to the officer. Manners are everything when dealing with the police, and it only takes a few ill-chosen words on your part to make matters infinitely worse than they have to be. Go ahead and sign the ticket. It's not an admission of guilt, just a confirmation that you have been informed of the charges against you. When you get home, take a look at the back of the ticket. It should list the court information and your options for dealing with the ticket. Then, you can decide how you want to plead and how you want to deal with the charges. Read more...