California lawmakers have introduced a bill that would prohibit cars from driving more than 16 miles per hour over the speed limit.
The measure is part of the Safer California Streets Package introduced Thursday by Democratic state Sen. Scott Wiener. If passed, this bill, SB 961, would require vehicles to implement a “speed governor” (also known as a “speed governor”).These devices use GPS technology or cameras to determine the maximum speed allowed in a particular location, restricting cars from going more than 10 miles over the speed limit.
“The alarming spike in traffic deaths is intolerable and requires urgent action,” Weiner said in a press release Thursday. “Preventing reckless speeding is a common sense approach to preventing completely unnecessary and heartbreaking accidents like this.”
According to his press release, SB 961 would also make a safety feature called underride guardrails standard on large vehicles such as trucks to “reduce the risk of cars and motorcycles being pulled under the truck in the event of a collision.” It's planned.
Another part of Wiener's bill package, SB 960, focuses on road and sidewalk improvements in the state, including new crosswalks and curb extensions.
Wiener introduced be similar invoice After Congress passed it in 2019, Newsom vetoed it. In a memo after vetoing the bill, Newsom argued that it would have been “prescriptive and costly.”
“State highways, which are often the main thoroughfares of small towns, must be safe for people who want to walk, bike, or wait for a bus. Require crosswalks, bike lanes, express bus lanes, etc. And we could do a lot better. And a safe bus stop,” Wiener said.e Thursday's press release. “Instead of leading the way in increasing traffic fatalities, California should lead the nation in reducing unnecessary deaths on our roads.”
National Transportation Safety Board before Recommended the use of speed limits technology.board It is said that one-third of all traffic-related fatalities are caused byIn 2021, there were 12,330 deaths in speeding-related accidents.
Last year, traffic-related deaths exceeded homicides in Los Angeles for the first time in a decade. According to the Los Angeles Times.
in spite of Even looking at these numbers, there are already opposition opinions to this bill.
Todd Spencer, president of the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association, a trucking industry group, told the Los Angeles Times that the technology is not the best approach to improving road safety.
“Drivers may want to increase their speed enough to change lanes to escape certain dangerous situations. We want our drivers to perform to the best of their ability. I don't think technology or even most well-intentioned regulations should get in the way of that,” Spencer said.
KABC reported The bill could be considered in committee as early as this spring.
