I’m tired of attending memorials for constituents killed by speeding drivers.
Every year for the past five years in California, over 1,000 people have died in speed-related collisions. This past year, even while driving has decreased during the pandemic, these incidents increased another 8 percent.
Speeding kills. It’s the leading factor in fatal collisions — and it’s basic physics. When a driver traveling 20 miles per hour hits a pedestrian, there’s a 90 percent chance that pedestrian will survive. At 40 miles per hour, the chance of survival drops to 20 percent.
Enough is enough.
Each death resulting from a speed-related collision is preventable. There’s a tested, proven technology that can prevent these deaths, used by over 140 cities around the country. Numerous studies have confirmed that speed safety systems lead to dramatic improvements at high crash locations, reducing speeding, crashes and fatalities. These systems save lives.
We must end this epidemic of traffic violence.That’s why I introduced AB 550 — which would allow pilot programs for this proven safety tool. Click here to read more about this life-saving bill.
I’m tired of something else. For decades, drivers of color have been much more likely to be pulled over, while traditional police enforcement of unsafe speeding hasn’t succeeded. Speed safety systems eliminate racial bias, while preventing senseless deaths.
By allowing this tested, widely-used technology, AB 550 will save thousands of lives and remove bias in enforcement. Click here to read more — and please share the article with 5 friends.
Our coalition includes the cities of Los Angeles, San Francisco, Oakland and San Jose — as well as advocates for pedestrians, bicyclists, seniors, public health, criminal justice reform, law enforcement, and the family members of victims of traffic violence. I hope you can join us. We have to get this done.
Onward,
David