According to the bill proposed this week, trucks manufactured or sold in 2027 or later would be required to have an automatic speed limiter. Drivers could not exceed the speed limit by more than 16 kilometers per hour.
USA. The first state proposes automatic speed limiters in cars
The bill’s author, Sen. Scott Wiener, said the new rules are intended to combat the epidemic of traffic deaths in California and the Bay Area, the densely populated area surrounding the San Francisco and San Pablo bays. The National Highway Safety Administration estimated that the number of road traffic deaths in 2022 would be over 40,000. About one-third of fatal accidents nationwide were caused by speeding.
– We have speed limits and they exist for a reason. It’s perfectly reasonable to say that you can’t drive more than 10 miles per hour over the speed limit [16 km/h – przyp. red.] – Wiener said in an interview with the newspaper. He assessed that the provisions contained in the act were reasonable and it was time to deal with this idea.
Automatic speed limiters are not for everyone. The police could turn them off, but under certain conditions
Automatic speed limiters could have a huge impact on how cars and trucks are driven in California. Cars subject to the requirements could not exceed a speed of 80 miles per hour on state highways (approximately 129 km/h), where the speed limit is 70 miles per hour (approximately 113 km/h). The bill would also apply in the city – drivers would not be able to drive at speeds above 35 miles per hour on quiet residential streets (approx. 56 km/h) with a speed limit of 25 miles per hour (i.e. 40 km/h) – explains the San Francisco Chronicle.
The bill provides for certain exceptions. Emergency vehicles, i.e. ambulances and fire trucks, would not have to comply with the new regulations. In turn, Californian vehicles could have the speed limiter turned off, but only if the vehicle is used reasonably and does not pose a threat to public safety.
However, those weighing more than 4.5 tons and manufactured, sold or registered in California would be required to be equipped with side underrun protection. These covers are designed to prevent people and vehicles from being drawn under the truck during an accident.
“Some cruise controls can use GPS or camera technology to limit a vehicle’s speed depending on where it is. Several car manufacturers, such as Hyundai, already offer a cruise control feature in their latest models, which some drivers use as a form of cruise control,” – writes the newspaper.
Street safety organizations and associations support the new regulations. However, the San Francisco Chronicle indicates that the bill will likely face opposition from car manufacturers and California drivers who may perceive the proposal as a form of excessive state control.
Source: Gazeta
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