European Union legislation has this month prescribed the mandatory fitting of speed limiters to all new vehicles sold in Europe. This is as part of the bloc’s continent-wide plans to reduce road traffic accidents. The 2019/2144[1] regulation also mandates that all new cars that have already launched be fitted with an Intelligent Speed Assist (ISA) by the 7th July 2024.
The European Transport Safety Council announced that the technology will reduce road collisions by 30% and deaths by 20%. The EU also want to achieve almost no road deaths by the year 2050. Well, it is always good to aim high.
The European Commission has also said that the speed limiters could, by 2038, prevent 140,000 serious road traffic injuries.
What are speed limiters?
These are safety devices that can be put in your vehicle so that you do not exceed a set speed. This limit is set by you the driver. This is different from cruise control, as speed limiters allow the driver to accelerate and decelerate as normal, provided the limit that the driver sets in not exceeded.
They use GPS data and traffic sign recognition cameras to determine the maximum speed allowed in an area. The system then limits the engine’s power in accordance with the speed you have set.
If you exceed the limit, the system will give you audio and visual warnings until you bring the speed of your vehicle to below the set speed limit.
What are the downsides?
There are concerns that some traffic sign cameras can be occasionally caught out if they are forward facing, and they can miss speed changes. Shrubbery can also obscure road signs and a lack of speed signs may too be a problem.
Other reported cases have found that the speed limiter reads the speed of the slip road and not the road the vehicle is on.
Whilst they can be switched off, they cannot be permanently disabled.
An obvious danger is that the driver becomes overly dependent on the speed limiter and becomes liable for offences committed in circumstances as described above. The fact they have a speed limiter is unlikely to provide a defence but may provide special reasons where drivers are marginally over the speed limit.
The European Commission has made clear that the driver remains responsible for their speed at all times[2].
Will the UK adopt the legislation?
The UK is likely to adopt these new speed limiting rules. Even after Brexit the UK government has kept most EU laws as they relate to cars. It also helps manufacturers to comply with the same regulations across the European markets.
A government report[1] further found that there were 1,390 fatalities and 23,419 serious injuries as a result of road accidents between June 2020 and June 2021.
If you or your employee have been caught speeding , call one of our specialists for expert advice on 01270 509496.
For further information, visit our website https://roadtrafficdefencelawyers.co.uk/speeding-5/
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[1] Regulation (EU) 2019/2144 of the European Parliament and of the Council https://www.legislation.gov.uk/eur/2019/2144
[3] ] https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/reported-road-casualties-in-great-britain-provisional-estimates-year-ending-june-2021/reported-road-casualties-in-great-britain-provisional-estimates-year-ending-june-2021,