The Push for Safer Roads: NTSB Urges New Car Technology to Reduce Speeding

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is pushing for new cars to come equipped with technology that can help reduce speeding. The agency made this recommendation to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) on Tuesday. They want new cars to have intelligent speed assistance (ISA) technology, which can alert drivers about speeding. The ISA systems use GPS location and onboard cameras to compare the car’s speed with posted speed limits. The NTSB also suggested other measures to reduce speeding offenses, such as updating state highway safety programs and developing guidelines for implementing ISA interlock programs for repeat speeding offenders.

The NHTSA is considering the NTSB’s recommendations and is reviewing potential regulatory actions. They are also evaluating feedback on changes to the New Car Assessment Program, including the possibility of incorporating passive or active ISAs. The NTSB is also encouraging states to identify repeat speeding offenders and reduce speeding recidivism, while automakers are urged to include passive ISA systems in future cars.

The NTSB’s call for this technology in new cars comes after a tragic crash involving a speeding vehicle. The agency reported that over 12,300 people lost their lives in speeding-related car accidents in 2021. The NTSB emphasized the need for collective action to address speeding and impairment, which have led to numerous tragedies on the roads. They stressed the importance of implementing safety recommendations to save lives and prevent human errors on the roads.

The NHTSA estimated that car wrecks caused around 19,500 deaths in the first six months of 2023. While this marked a decline in total deaths from vehicle crashes, the NTSB remains focused on the need for technology to reduce speeding in new cars. The NTSB’s recommendations were issued by a group of four members, and they are determined to address the issue of speeding and improve road safety.