From Illinois Code:
625 ILCS 5 § 12-205. Lamps on other vehicles and equipment.
Every vehicle, including animal drawn vehicles, referred to in paragraph (b) of Section 12-101,
not specifically required by the provisions of this Article to be equipped with lamps or other
lighting devices, shall at all times specified in Section 12-201 of this Act be equipped with at least
2 lamps on the power or towing unit, displaying a white light visible from a distance of not less
than 1,000 feet to the front of such vehicle and shall also be equipped with 2 lamps each
displaying a red light visible from a distance of not less than 1,000 feet to the rear of such vehicle.
Where the towed unit or any load thereon partially or totally obscures the 2 lamps displaying red
light to the rear of the towing unit, the rearmost towed unit shall be equipped with 2 lamps
displaying red light visible from a distance of not less than 1,000 feet to the rear of such towed
unit which are positioned in such a manner as to not obstruct the visibility of the red light to any
vehicle operator approaching from the rear of such vehicle or combination of vehicles.
Where the 2 lamps displaying red light are not obscured by the towed unit or its load, then either
towing unit or towed unit, or both, may be equipped with the 2 lamps displaying red light as
required.
The preceding paragraph does not apply to antique vehicles, expanded-use antique vehicles,
custom vehicles, or street rods. An antique vehicle or expanded-use antique vehicle shall be
equipped with lamps of the same type originally installed by the manufacturer as original
equipment and in working order.
625 ILCS 5 § 12-208. Signal lamps and signal devices.
(a) Every vehicle other than an antique vehicle displaying an antique plate or an expanded-use
antique vehicle displaying expanded-use antique vehicle plates operated in this State shall be
equipped with a stop lamp or lamps on the rear of the vehicle which shall display a red or amber
light visible from a distance of not less than 500 feet to the rear in normal sunlight and which
shall be actuated upon application of the service (foot) brake, and which may but need not be
incorporated with other rear lamps. During times when lighted lamps are not required, an
antique vehicle or an expanded-use antique vehicle may be equipped with a stop lamp or lamps
on the rear of such vehicle of the same type originally installed by the manufacturer as original
equipment and in working order. However, at all other times, except as provided in subsection
(a-1), such antique vehicle or expanded-use antique vehicle must be equipped with stop lamps
meeting the requirements of Section 12-208 of this Act.
(a-1) A motorcycle or an antique vehicle or an expanded-use antique vehicle, including an antique
motorcycle, may display a blue light or lights of up to one inch in diameter as part of the vehicle's
rear stop lamp or lamps.
(b) Every motor vehicle other than an antique vehicle displaying an antique plate or an
expanded-use antique vehicle displaying expanded-use antique vehicle plates shall be
equipped with an electric turn signal device which shall indicate the intention of the driver to
turn to the right or to the left in the form of flashing lights located at and showing to the front
and rear of the vehicle on the side of the vehicle toward which the turn is to be made. The lamps
showing to the front shall be mounted on the same level and as widely spaced laterally as
practicable and, when signaling, shall emit a white or amber light, or any shade of light between
white and amber. The lamps showing to the rear shall be mounted on the same level and as
widely spaced laterally as practicable and, when signaling, shall emit a red or amber light. An
antique vehicle or expanded-use antique vehicle shall be equipped with a turn signal device of
the same type originally installed by the manufacturer as original equipment and in working
order.
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625 ILCS 5 § 12-301. Brakes.
(a) Brake equipment required.
1. Every motor vehicle, other than a motor-driven cycle, an antique vehicle displaying an antique
plate, and an expanded-use antique vehicle displaying expanded-use antique vehicle plates,
when operated upon a highway shall be equipped with brakes adequate to control the
movement of and to stop and hold such vehicle, including 2 separate means of applying the
brakes, each of which means shall be effective to apply the brakes to at least one wheel on a
motorcycle and at least 2 wheels on all other first division and second division vehicles. If these
2 separate means of applying the brakes are connected in any way, they shall be so constructed
that failure of any one part of the operating mechanism shall not leave the motor vehicle without
brakes.
2. Every motor-driven cycle when operated upon a highway shall be equipped with at least one
brake which may be operated by hand or foot.
3. Every antique vehicle shall be equipped with the brakes of the same type originally installed
by the manufacturer as original equipment and in working order.
4. Except as provided in paragraph 4.1, every trailer or semitrailer of a gross weight of over 3,000
pounds, when operated upon a highway must be equipped with brakes adequate to control the
movement of, to stop and to hold such vehicle, and designed so as to be operable by the driver
of the towing vehicle from its cab. Such brakes must be so designed and connected that in case
of an accidental breakaway of a towed vehicle over 5,000 pounds, the brakes are automatically
applied.
4.1. Every boat trailer of a gross weight of over 3,000 pounds, when operated upon a highway,
must be equipped with brakes adequate to control the movement of, to stop, and to hold that
boat trailer. The brakes must be designed to ensure that, in case of an accidental breakaway of a
towed boat trailer over 5,000 pounds, the brakes are automatically applied.
5. Every motor vehicle, expanded-use antique vehicle, trailer, pole trailer or semitrailer, sold in
this State or operated upon the highways shall be equipped with service brakes upon all wheels
of every such vehicle, except any motor-driven cycle, and except that any trailer, pole trailer or
semitrailer 3,000 pounds gross weight or less need not be equipped with brakes, and except that
any trailer or semitrailer with gross weight over 3,000 pounds but under 5,001 pounds need be
equipped with brakes on only one wheel on each side of the vehicle. Any motor vehicle and truck
tractor having 3 or more axles and manufactured prior to July 25, 1980 need not have brakes on
the front wheels, except when such vehicles are equipped with at least 2 steerable axles, the
wheels of one such axle need not be equipped with brakes. However, a vehicle that is more than
30 years of age and which is driven on the highways only in going to and returning from an
antique auto show or for servicing or for a demonstration need be equipped with 2 wheel brakes
only.
(b) Performance ability of brakes.
1. The service brakes upon any motor vehicle or combination of vehicles operating on a level
surface shall be adequate to stop such vehicle or vehicles when traveling 20 miles per hour within
a distance of 30 feet when upon dry asphalt or concrete pavement surface free from loose
material.
2. Under the above conditions the hand brake shall be adequate to stop such vehicle or vehicles,
except any motorcycle, within a distance of 55 feet and the hand brake shall be adequate to hold
such vehicle or vehicles stationary on any grade upon which operated.
3. Under the above conditions the service brakes upon an antique vehicle or expanded-use
antique vehicle shall be adequate to stop the vehicle within a distance of 40 feet and the hand
brake adequate to stop the vehicle within a distance of 55 feet.
4. All braking distances specified in this Section apply to all vehicles mentioned, whether such
vehicles are unloaded or are loaded to the maximum capacity permitted under this Act.
5. All brakes shall be maintained in good working order and shall be so adjusted as to operate as
equally as practicable with respect to the wheels on opposite sides of the vehicle.
6. Brake assembly requirements for mobile homes shall be the standards required by the United
States Department of Housing and Urban Development adopted under Title VI of the Housing
and Community Development Act of 1974.
625 ILCS 5 § 12-501. Windshields and safety glazing material in motor vehicles.
(a) Every motor vehicle operated upon the highways of this State shall be equipped with a front
windshield which complies with those standards as established pursuant to this Section and
Section 12-503 of this Code. This subsection shall not apply to motor vehicles designed and used
exclusively for off-highway use, motorcycles, motor-driven cycles, motorized pedalcycles, nor
to motor vehicles registered as antique vehicles, expanded-use antique vehicles, custom
vehicles, or street rods when the original design of such vehicles did not include front
windshields.
(b) No person shall knowingly sell any 1936 or later model motor vehicle unless such vehicle is
equipped with safety glazing material conforming to specifications prescribed by the Department
wherever glazing material is used in doors, windows and windshields. Regulations promulgated
by the Department specifying standards for safety glazing material on windshields shall, as a
minimum, conform with those applicable Federal Motor Vehicles Safety Standards (49 CFR
571.205). These provisions apply to all motor vehicles of the first and second division but with
respect to trucks, including truck tractors, the requirements as to safety glazing material apply to
all glazing material used in doors, windows and windshields in the drivers' compartments of such
vehicles.
(c) It is unlawful for the owner or any other person knowingly to install or cause to be installed in
any motor vehicle any glazing material other than safety glazing material conforming to the
specifications prescribed by the Department.
625 ILCS 5 § 12-607. Suspension System.
(a) It shall be unlawful to operate a motor vehicle on any highway of this State when the
suspension system has been modified from the original manufactured design by lifting the body
from the chassis in excess of 3 inches or to cause the horizontal line from the front to the rear
bumper to vary over 3 inches in height when measured from a level surface of the highway to
the lower edge of the bumper, except that it is unlawful to operate a street rod or custom vehicle
when the suspension system has been modified from the original manufactured design so that
the horizontal line from the front to the rear bumper varies over 7 inches in height when
measured from a level surface of the highway to the lower edge of the bumper.
(b) Nothing in this Section shall prevent the installation of manufactured heavy duty equipment
to include shock absorbers and overload springs, nor shall anything contained in this Section
prevent a person to operate a motor vehicle on any highway of this State with normal wear of
the suspension system if normal wear does not affect the control or safe operation of the vehicle.
This Section shall not apply to motor vehicles designed or modified primarily for off-highway
racing purposes while such vehicles are in tow or to motorcycles or motor driven cycles.
625 ILCS 5 § 12-608. Bumpers.
(a) It shall be unlawful to operate any motor vehicle with a gross vehicle weight rating of 9,000
pounds or less or any motor vehicle registered as a recreational vehicle under this Code on any
highway of this State unless such motor vehicle is equipped with both a front and rear bumper.
(b) This Section shall not apply to street rods, custom vehicles, motor vehicles designed or
modified primarily for off-highway purposes while such vehicles are in tow or to motorcycles
or motor driven cycles, nor to motor vehicles registered as antique vehicles or expanded-use
antique vehicles when the original design of such antique vehicles or expanded-use antique
vehicles did not include bumpers. The provisions of this Section shall not apply to any motor
vehicle driven during the first 1000 recorded miles of that vehicle, when such vehicle is owned
or operated by a manufacturer, dealer or transporter displaying a special plate or plates as
described in Chapter 3 of this Code while such vehicle is (1) being delivered from the
manufacturing or assembly plant directly to the purchasing dealer or distributor, or from one
dealership or distributor to another; (2) being moved by the most direct route from one location
to another for the purpose of installing special bodies or equipment; or (3) being driven for
purposes of demonstration by a prospective buyer with the dealer or his agent present in the cab
of the vehicle during the demonstration.
625 ILCS 5 § 12-603.1. Driver and passenger required to use safety belts, exceptions and
penalty.
(a) Each driver and passenger of a motor vehicle operated on a street or highway in this State
shall wear a properly adjusted and fastened seat safety belt. A child less than 8 years of age shall
be protected as required pursuant to the Child Passenger Protection Act.1 Each driver of a motor
vehicle transporting a child 8 years of age or more, but less than 16 years of age, shall secure the
child in a properly adjusted and fastened seat safety belt as required under the Child Passenger
Protection Act. Each driver of a motor vehicle transporting a passenger who is unable, due to
infirmity, illness, or age, to properly adjust and fasten a seat safety belt and is not exempted from
wearing a seat safety belt under subsection (b) shall secure the passenger in a properly adjusted
and fastened seat safety belt as required under this Section.
(b) Paragraph (a) shall not apply to any of the following:
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5. A motor vehicle with a model year prior to 1965.
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