New Illinois laws for 2024 will allow for digital auto sales, require stolen car hotlines

CHICAGO (CBS) — Come New Year’s Day in Illinois, new traffic laws will go into effect that could impact you every time you get into your car.

As CBS 2’s Lauren Victory reported, starting Jan. 1, 2024 – that is, Monday of next week– a car dealership will be allowed to sell you a vehicle without you ever leaving your couch. Illinois law will allow a new ride to be delivered right to your driveway – and you won’t need to show up in person to sign documents physically. A digital John Hancock will do.

Another change in Illinois law involves something that some people aren’t even aware is illegal – hanging things like fuzzy dice, air fresheners, rosaries, or disability placards from the rearview mirror.

A new amendment in the state law will go into effect Jan. 1 – police can no longer pull over a driver solely because they spot something hanging on the rearview mirror above the dashboard. The hope is to reduce racially-motivated traffic stops and make policing more efficient.

A separate 2024 Illinois law will take a crack at reducing carjackings. It will require manufacturers to set up stolen car hotlines that are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart pushed for the legislation after hearing about hurdles police run into after hours when trying to contact car manufacturers for help locating stolen vehicles.

“So in the event of a carjacking, our agency – any agency – can call one number, and that number can access that manufacturer and get the tracking going right away,” said Dart.

Meanwhile, license plate readers continue to crop up all around Illinois. Effective Jan. 1, it will be illegal to share data from these devices if a person in the car is seeking abortion services in Illinois.

And don’t forget the new rule for live-streaming and videoconferencing while driving. A $75 fine awaits any driver caught using a cellphone or tablet to join a Zoom call or Google Teams meeting while behind the wheel on the road.