A Novel GPS-Based Sentencing Condition to Combat National Spike in Traffic Deaths
May 5, 2025 | Fast Company posted an article by the Associated Press: A teenager who admitted being “addicted to speed” behind the wheel had totaled two other cars in the year before he slammed into a minivan at 112 mph (180 kph) in a Seattle suburb, killing the driver and three of the five children she was transporting for a homeschool co-op. “You always hear of these horrific accidents, and it’s always far away, you don’t know anybody. But all of a sudden, that’s my daughter,” Smith said. “This guy did not swerve or brake. And it was just a missile.” After sentencing Chase Daniel Jones last month to more than 17 years in prison, the judge tacked on a novel condition should he drive again: His vehicle must be equipped with a device that prevents accelerating far beyond the speed limit.
Speeding and Traffic Deaths
Washington, D.C., already is using this GPS-enabled technology. This year, Virginia became the first state to grant judges this novel tool to add to sentences for the most dangerous drivers on the road whether speedsters or intoxicated. A similar sentencing tool await Georgia and Washington’s governors’ signatures with California and New York looking at this technology. As public safety agencies look toward technology to help reduce crime, this technology can help reduce a recent national spike in traffic deaths.
Speeding makes up about a third of the crash deaths in the U.S. Traditional law enforcement strategies are limited when it comes to speeding violations. Officers can only be in so many places issuing traffic tickets. Traffic light cameras (or automated speed cameras) have come across hurdles in many states and some, like New Jersey and Texas, have banned their use.
In 2022,The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigated a traffic collision in North Las Vegas, where a driver going 103 mph through a red light, crashed into a Toyota Sienna minivan crossing the intersection. All seven people in the minivan, including four children, were killed, as well as the other vehicle’s driver and passengers.
The NTSB’s 2023 investigation summary was aligned with local law enforcement’s conclusion and also included something additional: The NTSB recommended that all new cars be installed with technology that can prevent speeding. The NTSB also urged the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to mandate this safety tool.
Understanding Speed Intelligence
Often referred to as Intelligent Speed Assist (ISA), this technology prevents a vehicle from exceeding a given threshold by using geolocation to automatically detect the legal limit on a street or highway.
- “Passive” ISAs alert the driver with an audible or haptic alert when exceeding the top programmed speed.
- “Active” ISAs interact with the car’s mechanics, often by requiring the driver to apply extra force on the accelerator.
- ISAs can be programmed to activate a few miles above the posted speed limit, which drives drivers the ability to continue if passing a vehicle in the slow lane.
When the court-mandated devices are installed, they would prevent drivers from exceeding speed limits or the speed threshold regulators set. In case of emergencies, an override button would allow driving faster than the speed limit, but state authorities can decide whether to use it and would be alerted any time the button is pushed.
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Photo courtesy: Ellen M. Banner/The Seattle Times via AP