Far too many Washingtonians are dying from excessive speeding. This bill could help | Opinion

Every Washingtonian deserves to feel safe on our roads. The grief of losing a child, a sibling, a friend in a preventable crash is unbearable. Too many families in our state have suffered the tragic, senseless loss of a loved one due to excessive speeding.

Speeding is one of the deadliest and most preventable factors in traffic fatalities.

Between 2019 and 2023, fatal crashes involving a speeding driver increased by nearly 40%. In 2023 alone, excessive speed contributed to 251 fatalities in our state. Nationally, 12,998 deaths were linked to speed-related crashes. The economic cost of this exceeded $50 billion. Today, speeding remains a leading cause of fatal crashes for injuries in Washington.

These are not just statistics; they are real people like your family member or community member in your neighborhood — full of promise, dreams left unfulfilled, families gone in an instant. It happens too often, too close to home.

That is why I introduced House Bill 1596, the Andrea Smith Hudson Act, a bill named in honor of Andrea, a young life lost far too soon. Along with Andrea, I want to recognize other young lives lost — Buster Brown, 12; Eloise Wilcoxson, 13; Matilda Wilcoxson, 12; and Elijah Williams, 21 —children who should still be here, whose futures should still be bright.

We can and must do everything in our power to prevent more families from suffering the same heartbreak in our state. In fact, it impacts all ages and Pierce County is not immune to these challenges as every month for the last few months, there has been a fatality where speeding was a factor.

The Andrea Smith Hudson Act focuses on those who engage in the most dangerous speeding behavior and the disproportionate of folks causing the most fatalities — drivers traveling 20 miles per hour or more above the posted limit. These drivers are not simply making a mistake; they are knowingly putting lives at risk. It is our responsibility to hold them accountable while offering tools for rehabilitation. The Washington Traffic Safety Commission continually says that fatalities on our roadways are driven by three factors: excessive speed, distracted driving and intoxicated driving. My bill attempts to address these factors by focusing on those who have repeatedly shown these behaviors.

I propose implementing Intelligent Speed Assistance (ISA) technology for habitual speed violators as a tool for our Courts to impose on these habitual speeders. This technology, which has been successful in other regions as well as countries, ensures that vehicles adhere to posted speed limits, significantly reducing the likelihood of speed-related crashes.

In addition to ISA devices, the bill requires speed limiters for repeat offenders as a condition of being able to drive. Studies show that approximately 75% of drivers with suspended licenses continue to drive illegally. We need real solutions that change behavior and prevent future tragedies. This is about accountability—and it is about keeping families’ whole. In fact, according to the Washington State Traffic Safety Commission, the number of tickets for folks speeding in excess of 50 miles per hour from 2019 to 2024, increased in Washington State by 200%.

This bill is designed to give tools to our judicial officers to hold reckless drivers accountable while maintaining fairness and accessibility. Key measures include:

• Targeting the most dangerous violations (20+ mph over the limit) rather than penalizing minor infractions.
• Providing opportunities for folks with suspensions to drive with this tool similar to the ignition interlock program as imposed by a court.
• Implementing a structured fee system for ISA device installation that considers financial capabilities, ensuring all drivers can comply.

Public safety is not a partisan issue, and I am proud that this bill has gained the backing of a diverse coalition, including the National Transportation Safety Board, Washington State Labor Council, Washington State Building and Trades Council, Washington State Association of Police and Sheriffs, Build Black Alliance and Washington Trucking Association.

This broad support underscores the urgency and necessity of action. This is about more than policy — it is about people. It is about keeping our children safe as they walk home from school. It is about making sure no mother or father has to bury their child because of a driver’s reckless — and often fatal — choices. It is about a coworker or a colleague not dying on the way to or from work.

Folks need to find a way to get to work, their medical appointments, take their children to school lawfully.

By passing this bill, we honor Andrea, Buster, Eloise, Matilda, Elijah and all those lost to preventable crashes. We owe it to their families — and to all Washingtonians — to make our roads and community safer. We can afford to lose any more Washingtonians.

Lawmakers must act now. Pass the Andrea Smith Hudson Act and save our communities from the preventable loss of neighbors, families and friends.

This story was originally published February 16, 2025 at 5:00 AM with the headline "Far too many Washingtonians are dying from excessive speeding. This bill could help | Opinion."