Illinois has some very antiquated traffic stop rules and having bond cards can save you a whole lot of headaches if you get pulled over. This is how it currently works. You get pulled over for speeding in order to leave the scene you must post bond.
This bond can come in three forms. The first is surrendering your license to the officer on the spot. You can still drive with the ticket however you are left with no photo ID. The second option is to pay the bond in cash which is $75. It is very likely when you get pulled over that you won’t have cash on you, so this option can be hard to anticipate.
The third option is to hand over bond cards in lieu of paying the bond. You can obtain a bond car usually through your insurance company. Having this card can be a lifesaver if you get pulled over. Since most people don’t usually have $75 cash on their person they get their drivers license taken away until their ticket is paid. Even if you pay your ticket right away you are still looking at a couple of weeks with no picture ID.
In today’s world not having a picture ID in your pocket can really complicate your life. You need it to get on a plane, use your credit card and even to buy a bottle of wine. Getting bond cards from your insurer is a much better option then getting stuck with no ID for weeks.
There is talk of maybe getting rid of the bond cards practice in Illinois. However the Illinois Supreme Court would have to make that decision and change the law for it to happen. Law enforcement does have the option in Illinois to just let you sign for the ticket and go on your way but they rarely do this so it is best to be prepared with a bond card.
Illinois is also testing out a new e-ticketing system that will at least allow people who want to pay the $75 to do so on the side of the road with a credit card. Even if this practice is eventually rolled out state wide it will not replace the need for bond cards. Even if you can avoid your license being taken you can’t avoid being pulled over two days before pay day when you don’t have $75 to pay. So it is best to be prepared and ask your insurance company to issues bond cards for any drivers on your policy.