- A new bill would make repeat reckless drivers install GPS limiters.
- Devices stop cars from exceeding limits and cost around $1,700.
- Similar laws in Virginia and Washington aim to boost road safety.
Habitual speeders are a problem in every corner of the world, but new technology could soon stop them before they even hit the gas. Wisconsin is the latest state weighing legislation that would make it physically impossible for some drivers to go over the limit.
It’s called intelligent speed assistance, a system that reins in a car much like an ignition interlock device controls a drunk driver’s access to the road.
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When a person with an interlock device tries to start their car, they have to pass a breathalyzer. If Wisconsin gets its way, habitual speeders and reckless drivers will be legally required to drive cars that cannot exceed the posted speed limit.
The system relies on GPS data to identify the local limit, then caps the car’s speed accordingly.
Legislators Target Repeat Offenders
Two Milwaukee Democrats, Rep. Russell Goodwin and Sen. Chris Larson, have introduced a new bill that would require repeat reckless drivers to install the devices.
The bill targets anyone convicted of reckless driving twice within five years. That includes anyone who was simply speeding at 20 mph or more over the limit. The cost of the device itself, around $1,700, would fall on the convicted driver.
Financial aid would be available to low-income offenders. Those who tamper with, remove, or simply fail to install the device in the first place would face up to six months in jail or a $600 fine. Larson and Goodwin believe the measure could help change the city’s dangerous driving culture.
“It teaches them and anyone riding with them why they have this installed,” Larson told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
The Skeptics Respond
Not everyone is convinced, though. Rep. Bob Donovan, a Republican from Greenfield, called the proposal creative but questioned whether it would actually change behavior.
“I’m in favor of innovative solutions,” said Donovan, “but I’m not sure this idea can be practically applied in a way that’s effective.” No doubt, some would find ways around the tech, and others would simply drive cars without it.
Reckless driving isn’t limited to speeding, either, so bad drivers could still pose a significant risk on the road. At the same time, Wisconsin is one of a few states still pursuing this method to reduce reckless driving. Washington and Virginia have their own efforts to install this tech in reckless drivers’ cars.
In an effort to attack this issue from multiple angles, Wisconsin has recently passed a new law allowing police to tow a driver’s car if they’re ticketed with reckless driving, even if it’s their first offense.
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