In brief ...
🚗 New law mandates speed-limiting technology for drivers convicted of reckless speeding—specifically those caught going over 100 mph.
⚖️ Starting July 2026, judges will order enrollment in “intelligent speed assistance” (ISA) programs; repeat offenders may be offered the program in lieu of license suspension or jail.
📉 Advocates say the tech could help reduce speeding-related fatalities, which accounted for over 12,500 U.S. deaths in 2022.
Details
A new Virginia law aimed at cracking down on reckless driving will require some convicted speeders to install intelligent speed assistance (ISA) technology in their vehicles—a move hailed by road safety advocates as a potential life-saver.
Signed into law as HB2096, the policy applies to drivers convicted of reckless driving at speeds exceeding 100 miles per hour. Starting in July 2026, courts will be required to enroll those individuals in an ISA program, which uses GPS and speed-limit databases—or cameras that detect road signs—to either alert drivers when they're speeding or actively limit the vehicle’s speed.
“This will make our streets safer,” said Del. Patrick A. Hope (D-Arlington), a lead sponsor of the bill.
Better than jail ...
The law also offers ISA as an alternative to license suspension or jail time for repeat traffic offenders who have accumulated enough demerit points. Under the program, drivers will be barred from operating any vehicle not equipped with ISA and will be required to pay for installation themselves.
An emotional push for the bill came from Tammy McGee, whose teenage son, Conner Guido, was 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,” she said.
A proposed amendment by Gov. Glenn Youngkin would give judges discretion over how long a driver remains in the program—pending approval from the state legislature.
The law applies only to private passenger vehicles, not commercial ones, but it reflects growing national momentum for ISA. New York City, for example, has reported a 64% drop in high-speed driving in areas where ISA-equipped fleet vehicles are in use. Other cities, including Ventura County (CA), Somerville (MA), and Washington, D.C., have already launched pilot programs.
With speeding involved in nearly 30% of U.S. traffic fatalities, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, safety groups like the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and Families for Safe Streets are calling for broader adoption of the tech—including federal mandates.
In January, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) recommended ISA be required in all new vehicles—either as a passive alert system or one that actively limits speed.