URGES-ROADWAY SAFETY

104th Regular Session Introduced by Chris Balkema and 3 co-sponsors

Urges coordinated review and reform of enforcement, awareness, and penalties for extreme reckless and social media–driven impaired driving to deter deadly crashes.

Added as Co-Sponsor Sen. Adriane Johnson

Summary of SR0816 (104th General Assembly, Illinois)

Purpose and intent

This Senate Resolution urges state agencies and public safety stakeholders to review and strengthen policies, enforcement, public awareness, and sentencing related to:

Impaired driving
Extreme reckless driving
Social media-driven dangerous driving
“Ghosting” (high-speed, risky driving often with live recording)

The resolution honors the memory of Marko Niketic, who died in a crash attributed to alleged impaired and extreme reckless driving, and calls for legislative and policy reforms to deter similar conduct and improve roadway safety.

Key provisions and changes proposed

A call to action to review and strengthen:

Enforcement strategies for impaired driving and extreme reckless driving
Public awareness campaigns related to roadway safety
Sentencing guidelines for severe reckless driving offenses
Policies addressing driving behaviors that involve recording or disseminating dangerous driving on social media

Specific emphasis on offenses involving:

Speeds of 100+ miles per hour above the posted limit
Driving on shoulders or other prohibited areas
Operating a vehicle without headlights during nighttime
Impaired operation of a motor vehicle resulting in catastrophic injury or death

Encourages coordination among:

Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT)
Office of the Secretary of State
Illinois State Police
Local law enforcement
Prosecutors and traffic safety organizations
Other relevant public safety stakeholders

Recommends ongoing consideration of legislative and policy reforms to ensure penalties are proportionate to harm and address social media-fueled dangerous driving

Who is affected

State agencies: IDOT, Office of the Secretary of State, Illinois State Police

Local law enforcement and prosecutors

Traffic safety organizations and public safety stakeholders

General public, by potential future reforms in enforcement, penalties, and public awareness

Procedural and timeline aspects

SR0816 is a resolution, not a bill proposing new statutory text or immediate legal changes.

The resolution urges review and coordination among agencies and stakeholders; it does not itself amend statutes or set new deadlines.

It serves as a formal expression of concern and a call for consideration of reforms, with the theme tied to the death of Marko Niketic and broader roadway safety improvements.

Context and related issues

Highlights phenomena such as “ghosting” and social media-driven dangerous driving as contemporary safety concerns.

Emphasizes the need for proportionate consequences for severe reckless driving resulting in serious injury or death.

Seeks strengthened collaboration across state and local entities to prevent future tragedies on Illinois roadways.

Bill