A California state senator has introduced a bill calling for the use of speed governors that would prevent cars from traveling at more than 10 mph over the posted speed limit.
The bill, introduced Wednesday by Sen. Scott Wiener of San Francisco, would make California the first state to mandate speed governors if passed, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. It proposes speed governors for all vehicles built or sold in California beginning with the 2027 model year.
Audi e-tron, on the Golden Gate Bridge
This measure is seen as a way to curb traffic deaths, which rose in both San Francisco and nationwide during the pandemic, the San Francisco Chronicle noted. Speed is a factor in about a third of traffic deaths nationwide, according to the National Safety Council.
Certain emergency vehicles, including ambulances and fire trucks, would be exempt from the speed-governor requirement. The California Highway Patrol would have discretion to disable speed governors on its vehicles "provided that the vehicle's use is reasonable and would not pose a public safety risk," according to a bill fact sheet cited by the Chronicle.
Marengo Charging Plaza, Pasadena, California
The bill also stipulates that trucks weighing 10,000 pounds or more that are built, sold, or registered in California be equipped with side under-ride guards, aimed at preventing people and vehicles from going under the vehicles during a collision.
A similar bill was proposed in the New York State legislature in 2022, but failed to gain traction. Lawmakers in the state once again proposed mandated speed limiters last year, but this time only for drivers with multiple speed-camera violations. Volvo, meanwhile, has been installing speed limiters on every new car since 2020, but with a 112-mph speed limit.