California has seen a sharp increase in traffic deaths in recent years. From 2019 to 2022, the number of traffic injuries increased by 22 percent, and 4,400 died on the state’s roads in 2022.
Now the senator has Scott Wiener has had enough, and has introduced a bill to limit the top speed of all new cars sold in California from 2027 onward, reports The Drive.
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Cars must go a maximum of 130 km/h
More specifically, Wiener wants the cars to be unable to exceed the speed limit by more than 10 mph.
Since the highest speed limit in California is 70 mph, this means that all cars would have a top speed of 80 mph, equivalent to just under 130 km/h.
In addition, Wiener suggests that the limitation of the cars’ top speed should be actively adapted to the current speed limit on the road you are driving, with the help of GPS.
The driver must be able to disconnect the system temporarily, but the conditions under which the driver should and may do this are not discussed.
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What happens to freedom?
– There is no reason for anyone to drive over 100 mph on a public road, but in 2020 the California Highway Patrol still issued over 3,000 fines for that particular offense, Scott Wiener said during a press conference.
Preventing reckless speeding is a sensible way to prevent these completely unnecessary and heartbreaking accidents, Wiener continued.
Whether the bill passes remains to be seen. The Drive notes that the proposal raises obvious questions about the state’s control over residents, whether they can actively control the gas pedal of private cars.
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