The proposal from State Sen. Scott Weiner (D-San Francisco) is part of a two-bill package aimed at increasing road safety. “The alarming surge in road deaths is unbearable and demands an urgent response,” Weiner said in a statement. “There is no reason for anyone to be going over 100 miles per hour on a public road, yet in 2020, California Highway Patrol (CHP) issued over 3,000 tickets for just that offense. Preventing reckless speeding is a commonsense approach to prevent these utterly needless and heartbreaking crashes.” Not all drivers would necessarily be subject to the speed governors. The CHP would be able to “use its discretion” to authorize disabling governors on some people’s vehicles if that vehicle’s use is determined to be “reasonable” and not posing a safety risk. Senate Bills 960 and 961 would also require the state’s transportation agency to make physical improvements to roadways, including new crosswalks and curb extensions. They would also require trucks to be equipped with side guards to prevent vehicles from sliding under the body or trailer during a collision. “Additionally, many state-owned roads across the state need to be improved to accommodate all users, including pedestrians, cyclists, motorists, and public transit riders. State roads — which are often main streets in smaller towns — should be safe for anyone wishing to walk, bike, or wait for the bus – and we can do a lot better by requiring things like crosswalks, bike lanes, rapid bus lanes, and safe bus stops,” said Weiner. “Instead of leading the rise in traffic fatalities, California should be leading the nation in reducing needless deaths on our roadways. The SAFER California Streets Package allows us to reclaim that leadership for a safer and more sustainable future,” he added. Todd Spencer, president of the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Assn., opposes the legislation, which he believes is not the best way to make roads safer, noting that changes in speed may be necessary for safe driving. “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,” he told the Los Angeles Times.Legislation being pitched in California would mandate that new vehicles sold in the state be equipped with speed governors that automatically limit the vehicle’s speed to 10 miles per hour above the legal speed limit.
