Confirmed date: Washington drivers face new speed limits with GPS-controlled devices

Drivers with serious speeding histories will soon need tech that keeps their cars in check—literally.

Reckless driving is still claiming lives across the Evergreen State, but lawmakers have settled on a new fix: GPS speed‑limiting devices that cap how fast repeat offenders can travel. Signed into law this week, House Bill 1596 sets the countdown clock on a first‑in‑the‑nation requirement designed to curb deadly crashes without yanking licenses outright.

Why Washington lawmakers say GPS speed limiters will save lives on local roads

Traffic deaths in 2023 hit a 33‑year high, and a full third involved excessive speed. “We cannot ignore the data,” Gov. Bob Ferguson said while approving the measure, which enjoys bipartisan backing. The device works much like an ignition interlock: it reads posted limits via GPS and blocks the throttle when a driver presses beyond them. Pretty smart, right?

What convictions trigger the new device requirement and how long it will last? The rule targets motorists suspended for either reckless driving or excessive speeding—defined as 20 mph over the limit on roads posted above 40 mph, or 10 mph over on slower roads. Once a restricted license is reinstated, drivers must keep the limiter installed for:

OffenseMandatory device period
Excessive speeding120 days
Reckless driving150 days

Miss a day behind that wheel without the gadget and the suspension clock ticks on for another 30 days. Who wants that headache?

Three monthly overrides are allowed—but what happens if drivers break the rules

Lawmakers did leave an escape hatch: each driver gets three override presses per month for emergencies, logged and time‑stamped in the unit. After that? The system locks back in. Tampering with the hardware brings a fresh traffic infraction and could invite even stiffer penalties down the road.

Virginia already lets judges order similar devices, and Georgia has a bill on the governor’s desk. Meanwhile, Washington, D.C., mandates “speed governors” for repeat speeders. With Europe making intelligent speed assistance standard on new cars, transportation advocates are betting more U.S. states—maybe even the federal government—will soon follow Washington’s playbook.

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