SPRINGFIELD | The threat of losing their driver's licenses has prompted more than 3,000 Illinois parents to pay about $1.3 million in child support since the beginning of the year, officials said Tuesday.

Under the new program, the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services sends warning notices to parents who owe at least $2,500 in child support and have an Illinois driver's license.

If the parents don't reply, their names are sent to the secretary of state, who suspends the license 60 days later.

"We work to make sure drivers on the road act responsibly, and that responsibility extends to providing the necessary support for their children," Secretary of State Jesse White said in a statement.

About 20 other states have similar programs.

Illinois has been trying to increase child support payments since being ranked among the worst states in the country seven years ago, when it collected only $726 million. By last year, that had risen to more than $1.2 billion.

"We are sending a message to noncustodial parents that they will be held accountable for not meeting their financial responsibilities," Gov. Rod Blagojevich said.

The Department of Healthcare and Family Services oversees child-support enforcement for 550,000 Illinois families.