A proposed bill would make California the first state to require speed-limiting devices in cars.
This proposed bill would require new cars, starting with the 2027 model year, that are built or sold in California to have an intelligent speed-limiter system that electronically prevents the driver from speeding more than 10 miles per hour over the speed limit.
Although, the bill, SB 961 proposed by State Senator Scott Wiener, would exempt all emergency vehicles.
Sen. Weiner, in a press release announcing the bill, said it's an attempt to reduce traffic fatalities in the state, which have increased by 22% since 2019, according to one research nonprofit. The senator said 4,400 people died in car crashes in the state in 2022 alone.
A study from the California Office of Traffic Safety found that from 2017 to 2021, one-third of all traffic fatalities statewide were speeding-related.
“The alarming surge in road deaths is unbearable and demands an urgent response,” said Senator Wiener in the press release. “There is no reason for anyone to be going over 100 miles per hour on a public road, yet in 2020, California Highway Patrol issued over 3,000 tickets for just that offense. Preventing reckless speeding is a commonsense approach to prevent these utterly needless and heartbreaking crashes.”
Shane Koch, a Shell Beach resident, thinks people on the Central Coast could benefit from a speed-tracking device.
“Traffic has gotten worse. People are in a bigger hurry, driving faster,” Koch said.
Koch goes to work at 5:30 a.m. and says he sees a lot more speeding at that time.
“I tend to see people speeding if they are rushing to get to work,” Koch said.
“Accidents can be prevented if we just slow down and obey the traffic laws,” Koch continued.
Noe Noriega, an Oceano resident, sees both the pros and cons of something like this.
“There are some areas where I think some people have to slow down but I don't think all areas need to be regulated and under control,” Noriega said.
Noriega often drives from Northern California to Southern California and sees a lot of people speeding.
“I see a lot of gnarly accidents and a lot of bad ones too,” Noriega said.
He understands why some people would be opposed to the speed limiters.
“It's like taking away their rights to drive and stuff like that,” Noriega said.
