Inside New York’s Proposed “Speed Limiter” Requirement: A Tool That Could Finally Slow Down Chronic Dangerous Drivers

A new state bill could soon require thousands of chronic speeders in New York to install “speed limiter” devices—technology that uses GPS to cap how fast a car can travel. As NYC car accident lawyers who regularly handle cases involving catastrophic injuries caused by excessive speed, we see firsthand how a small number of reckless drivers disproportionately endanger everyone on the road. This proposed measure directly targets that problem.

A Targeted Response to Drivers Who Repeatedly Put Others at Risk

The bill, co-sponsored by Sen. Andrew Gounardes, focuses exclusively on motorists with extensive histories of speeding violations. Under the proposal, drivers who have 16 or more speed-camera violations in a single year, or 11+ license points in 18 months, could be ordered by a judge to install a $1,000 “intelligent speed assistance” device for up to a year.

This technology links to the vehicle’s ignition system and limits its top speed based on posted limits. It automatically adjusts as a vehicle moves from a school zone to a highway or vice versa, with a small, court-authorized buffer.

The goal is simple: curbing the behavior of the “small, stubborn subset of drivers” who continue to rack up violations despite fines, points, and existing enforcement programs. These are the same drivers who show up repeatedly in the severe injury and fatal crash cases our team litigates across the five boroughs.

How the Technology Works

The device uses GPS mapping to determine local speed limits and prevents the driver from accelerating beyond that limit plus a preset margin—generally about 5 mph. Drivers can still travel to work, drop children at school, and carry out daily routines, but they can no longer engage in the excessively dangerous speeding that puts pedestrians, cyclists, and other motorists at risk.

New York City has already piloted this technology in its municipal fleet. After demonstrating meaningful reductions in speeding and aggressive driving, the City is planning to expand it to 7,000 non-emergency vehicles.

Why Lawmakers Are Pushing for the Change

The legislative push follows several high-profile tragedies involving drivers with extensive speeding histories. In one Brooklyn crash on Ocean Parkway, a driver with 90 prior speeding violations caused a collision that claimed the lives of a mother and her two children. According to Sen. Gounardes, had a speed limiter been mandated earlier, “they would still be alive today.”

When repeat offenders continue to violate traffic laws at high speeds, the consequences are often catastrophic. Our firm has represented families in similar cases in which the pattern of dangerous driving was unmistakable long before the fatal crash occurred.

The bill’s supporters include families who have lost loved ones to reckless drivers, including the father of 13-year-old Niyell McCrorey, who was killed in 2024 by a speeding SUV. Their message is clear: preventing the next tragedy requires stronger tools.

Safety Experts Say Limiting Speed Saves Lives

Years of crash data show a direct correlation between vehicle speed and the severity of injuries. Even a small reduction in top speed can mean the difference between life-altering harm and a near-miss. Automated camera enforcement has helped, but for thousands of drivers in New York City alone, fines and notices have not changed behavior.

That is why this technology is supported by many of the city’s leading street-safety advocates and traffic-law policy researchers.

Our Perspective as NYC Car Accident Lawyers

Speeding remains one of the leading factors in severe and fatal crashes in New York. At Gair, Gair, Conason, Rubinowitz, Bloom, Hershenhorn, Steigman & Mackauf, our attorneys have spent decades holding dangerous drivers accountable and securing record verdicts and settlements for individuals injured by negligent motorists. We routinely see the devastating impact that high-speed collisions have on pedestrians, cyclists, passengers, and families across the city.

Any measure that specifically targets chronic speeding—and that does so without burdening safe drivers—has the potential to reduce the most violent crashes on our streets.

If you or a loved one has been injured by a speeding or reckless driver, understanding your legal rights is critical. Our New York car accident lawyers are available to review the facts of your case, explain your options, and pursue full compensation for your injuries.

To speak with a New York car accident attorney, call 212-943-1090 for a free consultation or contact us online.