HR0623 102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0623 LRB102 25242 LAW 34514 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Everyone has an important role to play in increasing road safety; and

WHEREAS, Passenger deaths accounted for 25 percent of all traffic fatalities nationwide in 2019; and

WHEREAS, Traffic deaths increased 7 percent in 2020 and 18 percent in 2021, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA) preliminary estimates; and

WHEREAS, Passenger vehicle occupant deaths rose 5 percent in 2020; and

WHEREAS, These historic increases in traffic deaths occurred even though there was a 13 percent decrease in the miles that vehicles traveled; and

WHEREAS, NHTSA's data shows that the main behaviors behind these increases were speeding, impaired driving, and failure to wear seat belts; and

WHEREAS, Whether a driver is impaired by alcohol or drugs, is speeding, is driving too aggressively, is driving distracted, or is unable to stay awake behind the wheel, bad driving choices put passengers at risk of serious injury or death; and

WHEREAS, Many of those lives might have been saved had a passenger in the car insisted that the driver slow down, stop texting, or not get behind the wheel in the first place; and

WHEREAS, Passengers, especially teens and young adults, need education and encouragement to empower them to save lives by stopping unsafe driving practices as they happen; and

WHEREAS, Parents also need education and encouragement to teach their children about the importance of speaking up or not getting in a car with someone who is drunk, drugged, or distracted; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we support National Passenger Safety Week, January 23-29, 2022, and we encourage passengers in motor vehicles to educate themselves and advocate for their own safety and the safety of others during this week and throughout the year.