Deuter Aims to Make Streets Safer by Stopping Super Speeders

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – State Rep. Marti Deuter, D-Elmhurst, is working to make roadways across the state safer by changing how law enforcement responds to extreme cases of reckless driving.

Drivers who repeatedly exceed the speed limit at dangerously high speeds, known as ‘super speeders,’ make up a disproportionate number of fatal crashes. However, research shows that standard enforcement measures, such as the revocation of a driver’s license, does not stop people from driving or from speeding at dangerous levels.

Deuter’s House Bill 4948 would create the Intelligent Speed Assistance Program, which aims to offer a more equitable and responsive solution to excessive speeding. Drivers with two or more convictions of excessive speeding within a 12-month period—such as driving 60 miles per hour on a residential street with a 30 mile per hour limit, or driving more than 100 miles per hour on an interstate with a 70 mile per hour limit—would be required to install Intelligent Speed Assistance (ISA) in their vehicles as part of the program.

Intelligent Speed Assistance is a dynamic system similar to a speed governor that limits a driver’s speed relative to the posted limits, with the system automatically adjusting the limit as the posted limit changes.

“In the United States, a car isn’t just a way to get around, it’s the key to economic mobility,” Deuter said. “By switching our enforcement mechanisms to be proactive rather than reactive, we’re able to build a more equitable system that holds super speeders accountable while still allowing them to go to work, visit their families and be part of their communities.”

Similar programs have been implemented across the country, including in New York City’s municipal fleet, where officials have seen speeding rates drop by 64%.

“Driving at high speeds is dangerous, plain and simple,” Deuter said. “By cracking down on the worst offenders, those who frequently speed at dangerous levels, we’re making roads safer for everyone. Whether you drive, take the bus, ride your bike or walk, you deserve to feel safe on the road.”