These drivers in this state could see a tracking device installed in their vehicles should they be convicted of this illegal driving behavior. This year, states across the country have been enforcing harsher penalties and repercussions for breaking the laws of the road. This uptick in severity is to encourage drivers to practice safe and legal driving behaviors and highlight a zero-tolerance policy towards those who continue to not prioritize the safety of other drivers.
The challenge of keeping the roads safe
Local authorities are constantly needing to find ways to prevent drivers from breaking the laws of the road. The major challenge with enforcing road traffic safety legislation is that not only do lawmakers often need to be present to enforce certain laws, but it is also easy for drivers to continue to break certain laws due to the perceived relative risk they hold, such as speeding or distracted driving behaviors.
While some illegal driving practices, such as driving under the influence, are well perceived by road users as unacceptable and dangerous, others have become somewhat normalized despite the serious risk they pose to other road users. Speeding, for instance, is regularly broken by road users, yet it is one of the largest contributors to driving-related fatalities. In 2023, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration found that approximately one-third of all driving-related fatalities were due to speeding drivers. Further, it has been well-established that increases in speeding are directly proportional to your risk of serious injury in a road accident. Nevertheless, this reckless behavior is still not considered a serious threat among drivers.
These drivers may receive tracking devices for breaking this law
With drivers continuing to speed, many states have had to resort to drastic convictions in an attempt to stamp out the practice once and for all. Florida authorities recently passed legislation that will see those convicted of excessive speeding pay a $500 fine and/or serve 30 days in jail.
For Arizona, authorities in the state are proposing a different solution other than increased fines and jail time. Rep. Quang Nguyen has recently announced that he will soon propose a bill that, if passed, would see Arizona drivers have their vehicles fitted with speed-limiting tracking devices as opposed to having their license suspended if they have been repeatedly convicted of violating speeding laws.
“It’s essentially a dead pedal. You can floor the car and the vehicle just won’t accelerate beyond what the posted speed limit is,” said Toby Taylor, the chief compliance officer with the Steer Safe Coalition, a partnership between vehicle interlock providers LifeSafer and Smart Start seeking to create legislation for speed-limiting tracking devices across the country.
Drivers would be required to pay for the device installation, which would be between $100 and $250. Additionally, drivers who choose this option instead of seeing their license suspended would be required to pay $4 per day to use the device.
Finding equitable convictions to keep the roads safe
The speed-limiting tracking devices are one solution that could bridge the gap between the unfair burden placed on drivers from low-income backgrounds when it comes to driving-related convictions. For many of these individuals, having a license suspended can further perpetuate the cycle of poverty by seeing individuals lose their jobs without a means to access transport.
By allowing drivers to retain their licenses but limiting their speed, it ensures that authorities are not swapping one problem for another and continues to punish drivers for unacceptable driving conduct, making the roads a safer place for all. This promotes more equitable avenues for accountability and centers prevention and safety interventions as opposed to relying on severe punishments to promote compliance from drivers through increased awareness of systemic barriers.
