CARBONDALE - Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White said he doesn't mind being "the bad guy" as long as it keeps teen drivers and others on the roads safe.

White discussed the details of a state senate bill he pushed this spring to improve the Illinois Graduated Driver Licensing Program with The Southern Illinoisan's editorial board on Thursday.

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Listen to audio of the Southern's editorial board meeting with Illinois secretary of state Jesse White.

Audio by Caleb Hale - Production by Patrick Laxson

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Proposed changes include increasing a teen's driver permit phase from three to nine months, scaling back driving curfews to 10 p.m. on weekdays and 11 p.m. on weekends and restricting the number of unrelated passengers a new driver can have in the car to one for 12 months. All of these new provisions would affect young drivers until age 21.

While proposal has been approved in both the Illinois House and Senate, White said he has no doubts Gov. Rod Blagojevich will sign the bill soon, making the new rules effective Jan. 1, 2008.

Most people White has talked to about agree the new provisions are a good idea, the secretary said, adding this includes 98 percent of the teens he spoke with, too.

Of the other 2 percent, White said, "They may not like me now, but after they reach the age of 21 and are alive and well, they may love me."

In 2005, 260 people died in car crashes involving a teen driver on Illinois roadways, Secretary of State statistics indicate. Nationwide, almost 1,000 16 year olds die in car wrecks every year, according to the same statistics.

The enhanced graduated driver licensing program came about after White commissioned a task force last year to study the habits of teen drivers and what trends could be deadly to teen drivers.

Among other provisions outlined under the law, teens will not be allowed to talk on cell phones or text message while driving. The law would enact harsher penalties for violations and require drivers under 18 who are ticketed to appear in court with a parent.

caleb.hale@thesouthern.com / 351-5090