Disaster as California Governor Vetoes Speed-Limiters Bill
California's Speed-Limiters Law Vetoed
In a significant disaster for road safety, California Governor Gavin Newsom vetoed SB-961 on Saturday. If signed into law, this bill would have mandated that every vehicle built, sold, or leased in California be equipped with a passive intelligent speed assistance system by the 2030 model year.
SB-961 defined these systems as providing warnings to drivers exceeding the posted speed limit by 10 miles per hour rather than actively slowing the vehicle. California faced a deadly year in 2022, with crashes linked to speeding resulting in 12,151 fatalities, marking 28.6 percent of overall traffic deaths according to NHTSA.
Federal Regulations Undermine Local Initiatives
Despite its potential to curb fatalities, Newsom stated that adding California-specific mandates would risk creating conflicting regulations with federal guidelines managed by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. He expressed concerns about disrupting ongoing assessments of intelligent speed assistance systems.
- 51% of likely voters opposed speed-limiting devices.
- SB-961 would only issue warnings, not take control of the vehicle.
Mike Spagnola, President of SEMA, emphasized that Californians prefer vehicle control rather than being controlled, urging legislators to reconsider the bill due to its unpopularity.
This article was prepared using information from open sources in accordance with the principles of Ethical Policy. The editorial team is not responsible for absolute accuracy, as it relies on data from the sources referenced.