Handheld cell phones, PDAs - illegal when?

Gus Philpott
Woodstock Advocate
August 20, 2013

Have you been wondering when the law will change in Illinois about using handheld cell phones?

The legislature and the governor decided, in their infinite wisdom, that it really won't be that unsafe until January 1, 2014.

Why it's safe now, but not after January 1, is beyond me. Does anyone else wonder?

You can read the law, Public Act 098-0506

Still have a CB radio? Guess what? You can use that, good buddy.

And you'll want to read Exclusion 9: "a driver using an electronic communication device by pressing a single button to initiate or terminate a voice communication." Think that means the "Start" and "End Call" buttons? Tell it to the judge...

And right now, watch out for those special Zones. Using a handheld cell phone in Work Zones, School Zones, and maybe the Park speed limit zones will cost you big bucks.