A California state senator has launched a invoice calling for the usage of pace governors that may forestall automobiles from touring at greater than 10 mph over the posted pace restrict.

The invoice, launched Wednesday by Sen. Scott Wiener of San Francisco, would make California the primary state to mandate pace governors if handed, in line with the San Francisco Chronicle. It proposes pace governors for all autos constructed or offered in California starting with the 2027 mannequin yr.

This measure is seen as a method to curb site visitors deaths, which rose in each San Francisco and nationwide through the pandemic, the San Francisco Chronicle famous. Pace is a consider a few third of site visitors deaths nationwide, in line with the Nationwide Security Council.

Sure emergency autos, together with ambulances and hearth vans, can be exempt from the speed-governor requirement. The California Freeway Patrol would have discretion to disable pace governors on its autos “supplied that the car’s use is cheap and wouldn’t pose a public security threat,” in line with a invoice truth sheet cited by the Chronicle.

The invoice additionally stipulates that vans weighing 10,000 kilos or extra which might be constructed, offered, or registered in California be outfitted with facet under-ride guards, geared toward stopping individuals and autos from going underneath the autos throughout a collision.

An identical invoice was proposed within the New York State legislature in 2022, however failed to achieve traction. Lawmakers within the state as soon as once more proposed mandated pace limiters final yr, however this time just for drivers with a number of speed-camera violations. Volvo, in the meantime, has been putting in pace limiters on each new automobile since 2020, however with a 112-mph pace restrict.