In Virginia as elsewhere, the number of serious auto accidents could drop sharply if drivers obeyed the posted speed limit. A report analyzing fatal car crashes in the Commonwealth during 2024 demonstrates just how dangerous speeding is. According to the 2024 VA DMV Traffic Crash Report, speed was cited as a factor in more than 400 of the 918 traffic fatalities recorded in Virginia that year.
As of July 1, Virginia judges have a new tool to prevent motorists convicted of reckless driving from driving dangerously fast. The Intelligent Speed Assistance (ISA) program allows courts to issue orders requiring the installation of technology that stops cars and trucks from hitting a certain speed. In some ways, this resembles the use of ignition interlock devices on vehicles owned by people who have been found guilty of driving under the influence. Individuals convicted of street racing or exhibition driving might also be placed in the ISA program.
Vehicles with the ISA technology are monitored by GPS. Some fleet owners and government agencies already use something like this type of system so that employees operating their vehicles do not exceed the speed limit. The technology does allow cars to go faster than the posted rate briefly in order to pass another vehicle or avoid danger.
Virginia is one of the first states to authorize this type of sentence in recognition of the fact that speeding causes so many auto accidents, sometimes in conjunction with other dangerous driving behaviors, such as alcohol consumption or texting behind the wheel. If you or a loved one has been hurt in a vehicle collision, determining the speed of the vehicle prior to impact is critical. Sometimes, in the commotion following an accident, police do not ticket a driver who was speeding. That’s why it is critical to retain an attorney who will review physical evidence, surveillance video, witness testimony, and other evidence to identify exactly what led to the collision.
With offices in Newport News, Hampton, Chesapeake and Gloucester, Hunter Law Firm pursues maximum compensation for Virginians in personal injury and wrongful death actions arising from auto accidents. Please call 757-825-0400 or contact us online for a consultation.
