Recently, different North American states promoted changes to their driving laws. With changes regarding driver’s licenses, fees, taxes, and speed limits, drivers should remain careful and aware of new bills and when they take effect. In this specific US state, the government decided to go further and is about to sign a new bill that may put repeat offenders on target. With this measure, this state will be the second in the US to use the technology to improve drivers’ and pedestrians’ safety.
With this new bill, this state will have technology as an important ally
With the technological advances, new devices are being used to promote the safety of drivers and pedestrians. Produced with multiple functionalities, they are applied inside the cars and on the streets as important allies to the authorities.
Recently, another North American state signed a bill that will benefit from an electronic device to avoid speeding and prevent recurring offenders from making the same mistakes.
The House Bill 1596 in the Washington State Legislature was signed by Governor Bob Ferguson and should take effect during the next three years. According to this bill, a new speed-limiting device will be a condition to getting a restricted driver’s license after getting it suspended for reckless driving or speeding. Going further, the law also implies that a judge can require the speed limiters as a condition of pre-trial release or post-conviction probation.
Small devices that can restrict the speed limit when deployed on a vehicle
According to some sources, these new devices use GPS to restrict speed to the posted limit. They have previously been settled by the authorities according to the laws of that state. These customization options help the authorities to follow the constant changes in speed limits that are being applied by US states due to revaluations about the drivers’ behaviour.
A similar device was used during a demonstration at the Capitol on Monday, but in this case, the focus was to combat drunk driving. It is similar to ignition interlock devices that require people to blow into a breathalyzer to show their blood alcohol concentration before starting the car.
When applied to drivers with a speeding history, the device will ensure that the driver does not override the speed limit more than three times per month. It is important to remember that the device is an alternative for drivers cited for speeding, as they can also choose not to drive while their license is suspended.
This law is a desperate effort to reduce deaths caused by speeding.
According to data from the state Traffic Safety Commission, last year, 34% of the 731 traffic fatalities in Washington involved speeding drivers. The numbers, higher than the 2015-2021 period, were a red flag for authorities and reinforced the efforts to seek ways to identify and avoid repeated offenders. Also, data provided by the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators estimated that “approximately 75% of all suspended drivers continue to drive”.
With this new law, Washington became the second US state to adopt a speed-limiting device as an alternative to license suspension. The first one was Virginia, which adopted a similar alternative in April.
Although its urgency, the new law will only take effect in 2029
Besides being signed this year, the legislation does not go into effect until 2029. When the devices were ready to be deployed, the drivers would have to pay to install and remove the speed limiter. Also, they will have to pay an additional $21 per month that will be used to offset the costs for low-income people who need the devices but can not afford them. In any case, it is recommended that the drivers keep paying attention to the speed limits, which are constantly changing.