Ill. licenses for minors go vertical

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. -- Bartenders and store clerks will soon have help when it comes to identifying Illinois driver's license holders who are old enough to drink.

Beginning Friday, drivers under the age of 21 will be issued newly designed vertical licenses, easily distinguishing them from the traditional horizontal licenses of drivers who can legally drink.

"Due to the unique design and some of the other security features, it will be harder to make it look like the 'over 21' license," said Elizabeth Kaufman, a spokeswoman for Secretary of State Jesse White.

"The new design is vertical and more distinctive than the old, making it easier for law enforcement and retailers to identify."

Other changes include bolder versions of the "under 18" and "under 21" lettering currently on the licenses. Drivers under 21 get an ID with the date of their 21st birthday highlighted in red.

"We're hoping that this will be an effective tool to curb the illegal use of false IDs," said Charlene Chapman, executive director of the Schaumburg-based Alliance Against Intoxicated Motorists. "It's going to be tougher to reproduce these [licenses]."

Drivers now under 21 will be able to keep their current licenses.

Other states with similar programs include Georgia, Maryland, Kansas, Florida, Texas, Ohio, Virginia, Michigan and Pennsylvania.