South Carolina Motorcycle Rights Association

Unsafe At Any Speed

This week, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced the rollout of a national campaign entitled “Speeding Catches Up with You.” In the coming weeks, advertisements on television, radio and digital platforms will draw attention to the consequences of speeding.

In 2022, according to NHTSA, 29% of traffic fatalities involved speeding, with 12,151 people killed that year in speeding-related crashes. This public education campaign is part of NHTSA’s broader effort to tackle fatalities on our national roadways. The program known as the Safe Systems approach has five tenets: safer people, safer roads, safer vehicles, safer speeds and post-crash care.

While the federal government presents this educational campaign to limit speeding, other jurisdictions consider a more aggressive method.  In May, the California State Senate passed SB  961. The bill would require new vehicles sold in the state to have “passive speed limiters.” Vehicles would use GPS technology to notify drivers using visual and audio alerts when their speed exceeds the posted speed limit by ten (10) mph or greater. The bill still must pass the State Assembly, where motorcyclist rights groups and their allies are already working. ABATE of California, the Modified Motorcycle Association of California, the California Motorcycle Dealers Association, the United Motor Vehicle Coalition of California, the Biker Rights Organization of California and other groups are pressing lawmakers to exempt passenger vehicles that do not include either GPS or a front-facing cameras from the proposed law.

The Motorcycle Riders Foundation (MRF) will continue to monitor this issue in case the movement spreads to other states or gains traction here in Washington, D.C. The MRF will continue to support our fellow riders in the Golden State as they help defend the rights of all bikers across our nation.

Ride Safe and Ride Free