California State Senator Scott Wiener introduced a bill mandating the installation of speed-limiting devices on all vehicles, to be effective in 2027.
The technology would physically stop vehicles from exceeding 10 mph over the designated speed limit.
Wiener argues that this measure is necessary to reduce traffic accident deaths, which have increased in recent years.
SB 961 does 2 things:
—Requires vehicles built or sold in CA be unable to drive more than 10 MPH above the speed limit (except emergency vehicles)
—Requires that large trucks built or sold in CA have side guards to prevent cars/bikes from being pulled under the truck in a crash
— Senator Scott Wiener (@Scott_Wiener) January 24, 2024
Wiener said, “There’s no reason why people should routinely be allowed to drive more than 10 miles per hour above the speed limit.”
“You can want whatever you want. But that doesn’t mean you’re allowed to do it and that doesn’t mean you should be physically able to do it,” he continued.
However, there are opposing views, with concerns about hindering drivers’ ability to avoid dangerous situations.
Todd Spencer, president of the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association, said, “There are times drivers may want to speed up enough to switch lanes, to move away from certain unsafe situations. Our preference is for drivers to have the maximum ability to do that. We don’t think technology or even most well-intentioned regulations should obstruct that.”
Wiener’s legislation mandates “side underride guards on trucks, to reduce the risk of cars and bikes being pulled underneath the truck during a crash” and “physical improvements like new crosswalks and curb extensions on state-owned surface streets to better accommodate pedestrians, cyclists, the disability community, and transit users.”
Wiener’s office wrote in a statement, “These changes are a head-on attempt to tackle vehicle fatalities, which are surging across the U.S. — and especially in California — amid a rise in reckless driving since the onset of the pandemic.”
The bill is part of a package aiming to address vehicle fatalities, including requirements for side underride guards on trucks and physical improvements to state-owned streets.
Similar legislation has been passed in the European Union.
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