By Ben Crowther
The state of California is close to taking a large step toward safer streets. Earlier this month, the California legislature passed a bill requiring all new cars to come with Intelligent Speed Assistance, a proven technology that helps drivers stick to the speed limit. Now, it’s up to Governor Newsom to make the bill law.
What exactly would the law do? Starting in 2030, SB 961 would require new cars to alert drivers when they’re going more than 10 mph over the speed limit. This technology, Intelligent Speed Assistance (ISA), relies on either cameras or GPS to track the speed limit. ISA has been around for years and the European Union already requires it in new vehicles. California’s auto market is large enough that if the bill becomes law, manufacturers will likely install ISA on all new vehicles nationwide. Polling indicates the American public welcomes ISA.
The bill is sorely needed. Over 10,000 Californians are killed or seriously injured in car crashes every year. Around one-third of these fatalities and injuries are related to speeding. Intelligent Speed Assistance is proven safety technology that addresses deadly speeding. Speeding is especially deadly for pedestrians, where a difference of a few miles per hour changes the likelihood of whether or not a person will be killed or seriously injured if a car hits them.
At America Walks, we’ve been encouraging state and municipal governments to build acceptance for ISA and demonstrate their commitment to safety by retrofitting their fleets with the technology. The California bill takes this work to the next level. Governor Newsom has until September 30 to sign SB 961. If you live in California, tell Governor Newsom to sign the bill and curb deadly speeding today, with just one click!
