Zac Quinn 
We’ve covered a couple of stories lately regarding the concept of speed limiter devices on vehicles. Many believe this to be the perfect solution to stopping speeding-related accidents and have discussed mandating the technology in all vehicles following a specific model year. The bill aims to punish all drivers for the crimes of others. The European Union has already implemented the devices into production cars. However, Washington, D.C., seems to have a better idea of how to employ Speed Limiters for vehicles.
Washington D.C. Speed Limiter: Details
Per The Washington Post, the D.C. Council recently passed a $77 million traffic legislative package allowing the District to install speed limiters in vehicles of drivers convicted of serious speeding crimes. The Intelligent Speed Assistance Program would be mandatory for aggravated reckless driving offenders with their license suspended. First-time offenders will be required to spend a year with a speed limiter installed in their car and pay for the equipment themselves. That said, D.C. will cover the first year for low-income drivers. Each conviction that follows will add an additional year to the mandated term in the program for up to three years.
Here’s the kicker: if someone is a four-time offender, the governor will be installed on the vehicle indefinitely. There’s no way around the limiter either, as it’s illegal for drivers in the program to operate a car without a governor.
The program will use an Intelligent Speed Assistance system that uses onboard cameras and satellite navigation to detect the road’s posted speed limit and restrict the vehicle accordingly. Unfortunately, the bill doesn’t specify how restrictive the system will be; it could issue a warning to the driver if they surpass the speed limit, or it could allow them to go over the speed limit for a short period for safe passing, or it could entirely prevent the car from exceeding the posted road speeds.
