Disregarding railroad crossing lights will come with a heftier fine under a new Illinois law. The legislation signed into law last week by Governor Bruce Rauner, will double the fines currently in the books. A first offense will cost $500 and each offense after that will be punishable with a $1,000 fine.
According to the Federal Railroad Association, 24 people died and 79 others were injured in Illinois last year because of motorists ignoring railroad crossing signals.
State Senator Karen McConnaughay, one of the legislation’s sponsors, says Illinois was second in the country last year for fatalities at rail crossings. She says she hopes the steeper fines will serve as a deterrent.