Illinois Could Be First State To Ban Smart Glasses While Driving

You may need to switch out glasses before you hit the road.

In what would be a first of it's kind, Illinois might ban drivers from using smart glasses, considering them as part of the 'electronic device' ban.

The bill, which is now awaiting Governor Pritzker's signature, bans smart glasses from being used at all, putting them in the same category as wireless phones or tablets.

Getting caught with smart glasses while you're driving would have more serious consequences than getting caught with a phone.

We know phones can use Bluetooth or voice commands, but smart glasses wouldn't qualify for that exemption.

Lawmakers are concerned about smart glasses projecting images directly into the driver's line of vision. You can't use the smart glasses for meetings on Zoom, Microsoft Teams (wow, very sad about that), or WebEx and you can't check social media with them either.

Penalties for getting caught using smart glasses are similar to other distracted driving costs. They are:

First offense: $75
Second offense: $100
Third offense: $125
Fourth & subsequent offenses: $150

If you're involved in a crash while wearing smart glasses, obviously the penalty will be higher, with you facing a misdemeanor or felony charge.

Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias has supported the ban and it's part of the "One Road. One Focus" public safety campaign, saying the distraction is the same, whether it's in your hand or on your eyes.

The law would be unique to Illinois. Currently, no other state has a law banning smart glasses on the road.