Driver's license | Traffic violation | Car Insurance | ISO home
Driver's license | Traffic violation | Car Insurance | ISO home
PURCHASING AND OPERATING A VEHICLE IN THE UNITED STATES
(Note: It will be absolutely necessary for you to eventually obtain an automobile if you wish to have mobility and not be dependent on other students, etc., whether you live on-campus or off-campus. There is no public transportation near the campus and there is no shopping, etc. in the local area. You are strongly encouraged to get a Driver's License BEFORE you come to the US (as well as your spouse). It is getting increasingly difficult for students to obtain a Social Security Number which is needed to obtain an Illinois license. This will keep you mobile until you can complete the paperwork for a Illinois License. Also it is complicated and costly for you to learn how to drive once you arrive here. Once the school year begins you will be VERY BUSY with school work and will not find time to learn to drive - nor will other students have time to teach you.)
1. Driver's license. If you intend to buy a car at any time during your stay in the U.S. it would be wise to get your driver's license before coming to the U.S. as stated above. In order for you to get an Illinois license you will need to have a Social Security Number which you need to apply for before taking the test for the license. Once you arrive and get your Illinois driver's license the longer you go without having a traffic ticket or any accidents on your driving record, the more likely it will be that you can obtain a reasonable rate on car insurance.
To get your driver's license, you will have to take a written test, a simple eye test and an actual driving test. Though the license may be obtained in one day, you should take time to study the Illinois Rules of the Road and learn the Illinois laws before going to get your license. Rules of the Road is available in the International Students Office or a local Driver's License Examination facility.
(Note: since 9/11 the Social Security Administration has stopped issuing Social Security Numbers for spouses of students. This means that spouses are unable to get an Illinois Driver's License!!! If your spouse has a valid driver's license from your country, he/she can use that license in the U.S. as long as it is valid. It will be VERY beneficial if your spouse can already have a driver's license before coming to the U.S. Because public transportation is limited in the location of Trinity and the suburbs where most of our students live, it is especially difficult for spouses to have to be dependent on their student-spouse for transporting.)
2. Borrowing a car. If you borrow a car, you must have your own driver's license and you must make sure the car is covered by insurance, which will also cover you as a driver. Some insurance policies will not cover accidents if anyone other than the owner and other people actually named in the policy are driving.
3. Purchasing a car. The purchase price of an automobile is not the total expense involved in ownership of a car.
Insurance, state registration, repairs, and the operating costs often far exceed the actual cost of the car itself. If you live
off-campus or have a family on or off campus you must buy a car; you should consider the costs involved before you
decide to come.
Parking stickers: At registration, you will purchase on-campus parking stickers for each vehicle you own that will be on
campus, whether you are a commuter or a resident. On-campus residents must also purchase Bannockburn Township
stickers, required for all on-campus vehicles. If you live off-campus, you may have to purchase a parking sticker for the
township in which you live. Check with the Municipal Building for your township to see if you need to obtain such a
sticker. The number will be listed in the telephone book for the area in which you live (or check with the landlord of your
apartment building).
4. Automobile Accidents. Because driving styles vary greatly from place to place, international students are much more
likely to have car accidents than people who have been driving here for years. Therefore, it is mandatory that you be
covered with car insurance. Even "minor" accidents can cost several thousand dollars in car repair bills and even more if
people are injured.
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Never leave the scene of an accident without making some kind of arrangements or reporting the accident. Leaving without making arrangements is called "hit-and-run" and results in severe penalties. If you hit a parked car and damage it, leave a note under the other car's windshield wiper giving your name and phone number so the owner can contact you. You are responsible for repair costs.
If you are in an accident with another moving car, you should find out from the driver of the other car, or any injured people, their names, address, phone number, insurance company, driver's license number and the license number on the car. You should do this whether it is your fault or not! It is always a good idea to call the police. Police, however, do not handle accidents that occur on private property such as in a grocery store parking lot, at Wal-mart, K-mart, mall parking lots, etc.
Any accident in which anyone is hurt or killed, or there is damage to city property, or the damage may be more than $500, must be reported to the police immediately at the site of the accident. Otherwise, just exchange insurance information (name of company and address, policy number, etc.) with the other person involved. Please know, however, that it is in your best interest to have a police report taken at the scene of any accident. This will help protect you against possible difficulties in settling an insurance claim. Your insurance company will provide you with an insurance card which should be carried in your car at all times.
5. Traffic violations. If you receive a ticket for a traffic violation such as speeding, illegal parking, and so on, it is important that you pay it promptly. If you do not pay your tickets, after a certain number of these have accumulated, a warrant can be issued for your arrest and your license may be taken away. Also, the longer you wait to pay the fine, the larger the fine will be.
Seat Belt Law. Everyone, including passengers, babies and children, must be fastened in with a seatbelt at all times. Children under 40 pounds are required to be restrained in an approved carseat for children. For the safety of you and your family or passengers - please obey these laws!
B. CAR INSURANCE top
Car Insurance is required by law for every person operating an automobile. The estimated annual cost of insurance for a car is approximately $850. Please know that if you cannot afford auto insurance then you cannot afford to have a car. Illinois state law requires that everyone must have auto insurance when owning a car in Illinois. If you have an accident and are uninsured you may have your license taken away from you for up to one year and you may be charged with a heavy fine or even jail sentence, especially in the case of an injury accident. The legal minimum for auto insurance is listed in Rules for the Road, but you should decide whether you want additional insurance (the minimum required by law can be woefully inadequate in the case of a major accident or if someone injured in the accident decides to sue you) . Listed below are various aspects of car insurance:-
1. Liability - Minimum coverage required for bodily injury and property damages. Pays up to certain stated limits, the sums for which you become legally liable in the event you injure someone else or damage his property.
2. Uninsured motorist coverage - Protects you and your passengers if you are injured by an uninsured or hit-and-run driver, but only if the other driver is legally liable because of negligent driving.
3. Collision coverage - Pays your losses if your own car is damaged in a collision or a single car accident. This is especially valuable if the collision cannot be proven to be someone else's fault. This is generally used on newer cars.
4. Comprehensive coverage - Pays your loss if the car is stolen or damaged by fire, hail, hurricane, vandalism or most
other non-collision causes. Insurance costs can vary greatly from company to company, so it is wise to check with several
companies before deciding which one is best for you and your situation. Look in the yellow pages of the phone directory
under "Insurance" for companies. Also, ask fellow students for references.
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For further information, please contact:
Trinity Evangelical Divinity School
International Students Office
2065 Half Day Road
Deerfield, Illinois 60015 U.S.A.
Phone: (847)317-4063
Email: evangeme@tiu.edu
Updated 03/05/2004