Proper procedure for handling police stops is being added to the drivers education curriculum in Illinois.
Governor Bruce Rauner signed the measure into law Friday, but it won’t go into effect until the 2017-2018 school year.
Jacksonville High School Principal Mike McGiles feels preparing students for a situation most drivers eventually encounter is a good idea.
“Our 16 and 17 year old drivers are nervous enough as it is, so teaching them to handle any situation would be advantageous to them. No parent wants to see their kids pulled over, be in a serious accident or have to be in those situations. It would be a piece of mind for our parents to know that can handle that and have been shown how to handle that.”
McGiles hasn’t received any information on the new curriculum, but feels it shouldn’t be a problem for the teachers at JHS.
According to the Department of Motor Vehicles website, drivers are advised to pull over in a safe area, roll down the window completely and place both hands on the steering wheel when speaking with police.