Virginia now has a law on the books that will require that cars of reckless drivers be equipped with technology that prohibits them from exceeding speed limits.
The new law (), which will not be effective until July 2026, requires a court to order enrollment in what is known as an intelligent speed assistance (ISA) program for any person convicted of reckless driving and who was found to have been driving in excess of 100 miles per hour.
For other drivers who are repeat offenders and have accumulated a certain amount of demerit points, the Department of Motor Vehicles would be required to offer this program as an alternative to a license suspension or jail time.
“It will make our streets safer,” said a key sponsor, Del. Patrick A. Hope (D-Arlington).
“The passing of HB2096 is a step in the right direction to make our roads safer and protect families from the devastating impact of reckless driving,” said Tammy McGee, whose 16-year-old son Conner Guido was tragically killed by a reckless driver. “I hope that by installing speed-limiting technology on the vehicles of those who choose to repeatedly speed, we can save lives and prevent other families from enduring the same heartbreak we’ve experienced.”
An amendment added by Gov. Glenn Youngkin would have the judge decide how long the driver must remain in the program. That change must be approved by lawmakers.
The Virginia law will be applicable only to private passenger, not commercial vehicles. It also calls for the ISA program to be installed on all vehicles the driver uses. The drivers are to pay the costs. The driver would be barred from driving any vehicle without the program.
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), the Road to Zero Coalition, and other safety advocates have urged automakers, regulators and fleet operators to promote ISA and speed limiters to help address a spike in traffic deaths since 2020. According to the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration (NHTSA), close to 30% of traffic fatalities involve excessive speed. In 2022, speeding killed more than 12,500 people.
ISA uses cameras to read speed limit signs or integrates maps of speed limits with Global Positioning System (GPS) technology, according to the IIHS. Some systems alert drivers when they exceed the speed limit, while others limit power to the engine to keep them from going faster than the posted speed limit.
Virginia’s move comes after the District of Columbia passed similar legislation last year. Other states are considering legislation. Several municipalities including Ventura County in California, the city of Somerville in Massachusetts, and New York City have begun pilots of the technology in their fleets. A number of private sector fleets have also reportedly deployed ISA.
Since 2022, New York City has equipped 500 fleet vehicles with ISA. According to a 2005 report on the city’s experience, ISA resulted in a 64% relative decrease in the amount of time that drivers exceeded the speed limit by at least 11 mph, with the decrease even greater in areas with higher speed limits.
Some new vehicles have speeding warning systems. In January 2024, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) recommended that all new vehicles be equipped with either a passive or an active ISA system.
Topics Personal Auto Virginia
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