An increasing number of states are considering the use of speed-limiting devices to rein in drivers who feel the need for speed, and Illinois is the latest to consider such a measure. WAND reports that the amended House Bill 4948 has passed with a unanimous vote by the House Judiciary Criminal Committee, and is moving on to the House floor.
Under this bill, Illinois drivers convicted of two qualifying driving offenses in a year would be required to install speed limiters in their vehicles. “A qualifying offense is a conviction or order of court supervision for excessive speeding over 25 miles per hour over the limit or reckless driving,” Rep. Martha Deuter, who sponsored the bill, told WAND. Additionally, the offender’s standard driver’s license would be suspended, but they would be eligible for a special permit that would only allow them to drive vehicles with an approved speed limiter installed. They would also be required to have a speed limiter installed on their own car within 14 days.
The bill itself acknowledges that “approximately 75% of drivers with suspended licenses continue to drive, creating ongoing public safety risks, as documented in research published by the National Cooperative Highway Research Program.” I have to wonder, if 75 percent of drivers are violating a law, why even have it? Deuter addressed this on the Illinois House Democratic Caucus website, where she said:
“In the United States, a car isn’t just a way to get around, it’s the key to economic mobility,” Deuter said. “By switching our enforcement mechanisms to be proactive rather than reactive, we’re able to build a more equitable system that holds super speeders accountable while still allowing them to go to work, visit their families and be part of their communities.”
Addressing concerns
The Illinois legislation directly addresses some of the issues we’ve pointed out before when it comes to speed limiter regulations. The biggest one is the cost, which the people required to have these devices would ostensibly have to pay. It would cost anywhere from $100 to $250 for the device and its installation, there would be a subscription fee for the speed limiting service, plus $30 a month to the state’s Intelligent Speed Assistance Permit Fee Fund — all paid by the driver. However, if the driver is declared indigent, they would receive the device and service at no charge. Illinois defines an indigent person as being on public assistance (Social Security, SNAP, etc.) or having income below 125 percent of the poverty level. That model has some upsides for drivers who qualify, but it doesn’t help members of the shrinking middle class, who make too much to qualify for aid, but not enough to really afford the speed-limiting devices.
Data privacy is another concern, and the Illinois bill does its best to address that, too. The bill defines what information is allowed to be collected, which is limited to data necessary to perform the task of effective speed limiting, plus tamper prevention and malfunction reporting. Location data “shall be retained only for compliance verification, not for general location tracking.” Finally, data can only be held for 90 days, at which point it must be deleted. That’s a pretty thorough set of standards, and impressive considering how often privacy legislation falls short.
So far, Virginia has passed its proposed speed limiter law, along with Washington state and Washington, D.C. Five more states, including Illinois, have such laws in the works. What’s more, the National Traffic Safety Board has recommended the mandatory adoption of speed limiters nationwide, regardless of driving records. That recommendation seems to have stalled, but this could be the beginning of a trend on a state-by-state basis.
