(Photo By Flickr User Paul Oka)

The penalty for using your phone while driving in Illinois will soon be dramatically higher.

Currently, if you injure someone while using your phone and driving, it’s a $75 ticket.

Under this new law taking effect on July 1st 2020, those found guilty of a similar offense will face a fine of $1,000 and could have their licenses suspended for one year.

The bill was introduced by Rep. Norine Hammond in the House and carried in the Senate by State Sen. Jil Tracy this past legislative session.

Earlier this week, Rep. Hammond said,

“When we first started to research it, it was $75, do we take it to $250, $500 and I said you know, it has to have some meaning and some hurt to it before people will actually take it seriously, so that’s why we settled on the $1,000 fine.”

Rep. Hammond said she was inspired by the survival story of one Macomb, IL resident who lost his leg due to being hit by a driver distracted by their phone.

(Information Courtesy of KHQA-TV)