These are the drivers who will have to carry speed limiters in their vehicles in Washington
A bill has been passed which will radically change driving in Washington state following a spate of fatal car crashes.
Washington is turning to technology to tackle an increasing number of deaths on the road, with a bill signed by Governor Bob Ferguson to have implications for a vast number of drivers in the state.
When will speed limiters be introduced in Washington?
House Bill 1596, also known as the BEAM Act, will see Intelligent Speed Assistance (ISA) technology come into effect in “The Evergreen State” in 2029. All new cars sold in Washington from that year on will have the device factory-installed, while certain dangerous drivers will also have ISA fitted into their car regardless of the vehicle they drive.
The latter category is made up of regular speeders who have had their licences suspended due to having a history of excessive speeding or reckless driving, or have been ordered to have the device installed by a court.
The move was partly inspired by a fatal crash in March 2024 which saw three people killed, including two minors, with two more children ending up in hospital. The driver, 18-year-old Chase Jones, who allegedly caused the tragedy by driving at over 100 miles an hour in a 40-mile-an-hour zone, had already totaled two cars previously.
What is Intelligent Speed Assistance?
ISA is a speed-limiting device which uses GPS to prevent a vehicle from surpassing the speed limit.
The technology identifies the speed limit in the area in which the car finds itself in and prevents the driver from accelerating beyond it, no matter how hard they press on the pedal.
According to the Washington Traffic Safety Commission, drivers involved in fatal crashes in the state rose steadily from 807 to 1,090 between 2019 and 2023, dipping only slightly in 2024 (1,054).
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