The Illinois Tollway Authority is following the lead of some other big states.
In finding a new way to crack down on drivers who repeatedly fail to pay their tolls, the Tollway Authority recently announced plans to start filing lawsuits against the worst tollway offenders.
Illinois hopes to recoup a large chunk of nearly $300 million in overdue fines and unpaid tolls owed by scofflaws.
Other states are on the same road.
Texas, for instance, which began suing the biggest deadbeats in July. Since then, the Lone Star State has had over 1,200 people enter repayment plans.
In May, Washington state created a tollway court that handles 250 cases a week and, so far, 1,300 people have paid off their back tolls.
The city of Denver is now threatening to withhold vehicle re-registration unless scofflaws make good on their outstanding tolls.
Illinois says more than one million violation notices are outstanding, and over 500,000 drivers have unpaid violations.
That sounds huge but it actually represents less than 2 percent of the tollway’s daily drivers.
This post originally aired as a Weekend Watchdog report on WBBM Newsradio 780 and 105.9 FM WBBM.
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