For Immediate Release

Contact:

Steve Schoeffel

Steve@DanRutherford.org 

 Secretary of State Candidate Rutherford Plans Parental

Access to Child’s Driving Record

Springfield, IL (August 14, 2006) – Secretary of State Candidate Dan Rutherford recently proposed legislation which would set up a tool to give parents free online access to their minor child's driving record.  Rutherford is a State Senator from Pontiac and Republican nominee for SoS.

Following the tragic death of a young Florida man who had five speeding tickets in the two years he had his license, which his family knew nothing about, the State of Florida passed a law, the first in the nation, allowing parents access to their child's driving record online at no charge. The Florida mother was shocked to learn that her 18-year-old son had such a  reckless driving history; he paid the fines, took the classes and his parents did not know about it. The mother said she would have restricted his driving habits had she known of his record. Her son was killed when he missed a curve going 100 mph on his motorcycle. 

Rutherford's proposal is modeled after the new law in Florida, setting up a system where parents, guardians and others who sign off on a minor's license will get a personal identification number for access to a secure Web site that will show the child's driving record. The web access to the driving record will expire when the child turns 18.

"Illinois should be a leader in providing a parent's access to their child's driving information to avoid similar, preventable, tragedies in our state. I will work to get my plan through the legislature and signed into law as Secretary of State. Parents monitor their kid's activities from school to video games to Internet access.  A law like this would allow Illinois parents to keep up with an even more critical part of their child's life," said the Senator.

Rutherford has long held that the Illinois Secretary of State's Office needs to upgrade from the old ways of doing business and move to use the next generation of technology.

"Giving parents a web based tool can be done inexpensively and potentially save the lives of teens," Rutherford added.  "My legislation is another example of a logical technology improvement, not costing a great deal of money. It takes a forward thinking, customer service oriented, Secretary of State to move this government bureaucracy into a different mindset. I intend to be that leader."

Senator Rutherford's legislation is drafted and ready to be introduced in the General Assembly. In addition, Rutherford has made public his "Service Commitment" for drivers in Illinois, outlining specific improvements he will make at the driver services facilities when he becomes Secretary of State. It is posted on his website: www.DanRutherford.org.

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