California is taking steps to make sure drivers are well aware that they are going too fast.
Lawmakers from the Golden State have just passed a bill that would require new vehicles to alert drivers every time they exceed the speed limit, according to CBS News. The legislation would require cars, SUVs, and trucks sold in the state to come equipped with speed warning technology.
Senate Bill 961, which was authored by State Senators Scott Wiener and Henry Stern, would require vehicles sold or built in the state of California to include a “passive intelligent speed assistance” system. The technology would play a “brief, one-time, visual and audio signal” anytime the vehicle it is equipped in is traveling more than 10 mph over the speed limit. The Drive suggests that the signal discussed in the legislation could be similar to the chime that plays when someone riding in a car has not fastened their seatbelt.
The legislature has passed through the state senate (where 26 were in favor and nine opposed) and onto the assembly floor (47 in favor, 17 opposed). It will now go to Governor Gavin Newsom, who can either sign the bill into law or veto it. If he does sign it, the requirement will go into effect with the 2030 model year and apply to passenger vehicles, trucks, and vans sold or leased as new. Emergency vehicles, motorcycles, and some large trucks, as well as passenger vehicles not equipped with GPS or a front-facing camera, will be exempt from the law.
“The rise in road deaths in California is a completely preventable tragedy,” State Senator Wiener told CBS News. “The evidence is clear: Rising levels of dangerous speeding are placing all Californians in danger, and by taking prudent steps to improve safety, we can save lives. California should lead the nation with action to improve the safety of our streets.”
An excess speed alert system is not a Californian invention. Senate Bill 961 actually builds on a similar requirement that went into effect this past July in the European Union. If Newsom does sign the bill, California would become the first U.S. state to put such a requirement into effect.
