RICHMOND, Va. (WWBT) – Virginia is cracking down on reckless drivers.
The Commonwealth is set to be the first state to adopt intelligent speed assistance systems. These systems are tiny enough to fit on an air vent and prohibit drivers from exceeding the speed limit.
“Right now, the need is urgent. Reckless driving continues to claim lives and cause irreparable harm,” said Tammy Guido McGee, an advocate for HB2096.
The bill allows a judge to require a convicted reckless driver to install a speed limiter in their car. McGee said this is more effective than suspending their license because many people drive anyway, increasing their chances of speeding again.
“Give them the ability to go to work and not financially impact their family, but teach them a lesson, make sure they’re being reminded when they’re speeding,” she said.
McGee’s 16-year-old son Conner was killed by a reckless driver in 2019.
“Had this driver of the vehicle that my son was in had this device on his vehicle, he wouldn’t be able to do twice the legal speed limit. And ultimately, that’s what caused my son’s death was speed,” she said.
According to the DMV, in 2023, there were more than 25,000 speed-related crashes in Virginia, nearly 500 of which were deadly. These numbers were also higher than in 2022.
“This piece of technology has the ability, if properly used and enforced by our judges, has the ability to save lives. And every life is worth saving. Every single person that dies in Virginia and all over the country is a story. It’s an individual that had a future,” she said.
Tampering with the device or driving in a different vehicle is a misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in jail. Washington, D.C., passed something similar to this last year, and states like Maryland are also in the process of passing similar legislation.
Governor Youngkin amended the bill, but it is expected to be updated and returned to his desk by next month for his signature.
It will become law in July 2026.
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