Press Release

11/13/2012 Press Conference: HSC Urges General Assembly to Have Courage and Put Highway Safety First

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

For more information:

Holy Cross Hospital VP Dennis Ryan (708) 712-4952 or dryan@holycrosshospital.org
Vanguard Health System VP Esther Corpuz  (708) 473-2226 or ecorpuz@vhschicago.com
Lake County Sheriff Mark Curran (847) 309-4209 or MCurran@lakecountyil.gov
Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights Monica Trevino (773) 573-8667 or mtrevino@icirr.org 

Press Conference

HIGHWAY SAFETY COALITION URGES GENERAL ASSEMBLY TO HAVE COURAGE AND PUT HIGHWAY SAFETY FIRST

Coalition calls on legislators to pass bill in veto session 2012 to require all Illinois drivers to be licensed and insured

WHAT:              The Highway Safety Coalition, a broad spectrum of law enforcement, healthcare, business, education, labor, faith and community leaders is calling on the General Assembly to have courage and put highway safety first by passing legislation in veto session 2012 to require all Illinois drivers to be licensed and insured.

In Illinois there are approximately 250,000 immigrant motorists driving without a driver’s license and insurance, because they are not allowed to drive legally.  Unlicensed and uninsured drivers are involved in 79,600 accidents each year in Illinois, costing $660 million in damage claims.  Nationwide, unlicensed motors are five times likelier to be involved in a fatal crash than licensed drivers.  Washington and New Mexico already require all motorists, including undocumented immigrants, to get driver’s license.  Since New Mexico made this change in 2003, its rate of uninsured motorists fell from 33% to under 9%.  New Mexico also saw a 24% decrease in alcohol-related crashes and a 25% drop in traffic fatalities.

Additionally, licensing all drivers will help first responders and healthcare providers to identify patients under their care, verify patient medical history, facilitate patient billing and will be instrumental in the implementation of the electronic medical record system under the Affordable Healthcare Act. As well, licensing all drivers will increase pool of urgently needed organ donors.


WHO:              Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce Director Michael Mini, Metropolitan Chicago Healthcare Council CEO Kevin Scanlon representing over 150 hospitals in 8 counties, Chicago Teachers Union VP Jesse Sharkey, Illinois Restaurant Association Executive Board Member Billy Lawless, IL Hispanic Chamber of Commerce President Omar Duque, Lake County Sheriff Mark Curran, Kane County Sheriff Patrick Perez, Evanston Police Chief Richard Eddington, Berwyn Police Chief Jim Ritz, Melrose Park Police Chief Rosa Pitassi, MCHC VP Elizabeth Lively, Norwegian American Hospital CEO Jose Sanchez, Vanguard Health System VP Esther Corpuz, Holy Cross Hospital VP Dennis Ryan, Alivio Medical Center CEO Carmen Velasquez, Catholic Conference of Bishops Director Bob Gilligan, SEIU State Council Secretary Laura Garza, and Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights CEO Lawrence Benito

WHEN:                    Tuesday, November 13, 2012 at 10:00 am

WHERE:                  Blue Room, Thompson Center 100 W. Randolph 15th floor