STATEHOUSE (April 23, 2025) – A bill co-authored by State Rep. Jim Lucas (R-Seymour) enhancing criminal penalties for unlicensed drivers now moves to the governor's desk for consideration.
Lucas said House Enrolled Act 1114 would add two new criminal enhancements for those who drive without ever receiving a license of up to a Level 5 or 6 felony if the unlicensed driver causes bodily injury, catastrophic injury or death.
Under current law, the penalty is only a Class C misdemeanor, which can be enhanced to a Class A misdemeanor if the individual has a prior unrelated conviction.
Last March, Brad Castner, a 27-year-old man from Holton, was killed in a head-on collision with an unlicensed driver. Lucas said with no enhancements in Indiana Code, and no other facts to allow a prosecutor to charge a different crime, the driver could be charged with at most a Class A misdemeanor.
"Unfortunately, this bill follows a life being lost in our local communities from a tragic accident," Lucas said. "Our hope is that through these increased penalties, we could dissuade unlicensed drivers from getting on the road, ensuring safer travel."
Between 2020 and 2024, the Indiana Office of Court Services recorded 2,697 convictions for operating a motor vehicle without a driver’s license in Indiana as either a Class A or Class C misdemeanor. Additionally, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported that unlicensed drivers accounted for nearly 11,000 fatal crashes in 2021.
To learn more House Enrolled Act 1114 and watch session, visit iga.in.gov.
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State Rep. Jim Lucas (R-Seymour) represents House District 69,
which includes portions of Bartholomew, Jackson, Scott and Washington counties.
Click here to download a high-resolution photo.
