The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) is calling on automakers, lawmakers, and fleet operators to promote intelligent speed assistance (ISA) and speed limiters to curb speeding-related deaths.

The IIHS, together with some other Road to Zero Coalition members, are advocating for change after speeding killed more than 12,000 people in 2021. The coalition is managed by the National Safety Council and encompasses dozens of members in the public and private sectors.

“In-vehicle technologies can be an important part of the solution,” said Jessica Cicchino, vice president of research at IIHS.

The call to action came just days after the release of the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety’s annual Traffic Safety Culture Index (TSCI) survey, which found 1 in 5 drivers speed.

And last month, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) called for intelligent speed assistance (ISA) technology in all new cars. It made the recommendation after investigating a multi-vehicle collision in Las Vegas, Nevada that killed nine people.

ISA uses a car’s GPS location, which is compared with a database of posted speed limits, alongside onboard cameras to ensure the driver is complying with posted speed limits.

The Road to Zero Coalition’s accelerating technology working group is recommending warning-based ISA systems for U.S. divers. It said these systems are already becoming a requirement for new vehicles in the European Union beginning next year.

As part of its push for change, the coalition’s members will urge the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to set performance standards for ISA technology. This includes providing a warning when the speed limit is exceeded, requiring all new cars to be equipped with ISA, and adding an ISA evaluation to the New Car Assessment Program (NCAP).

“The working group also recommended steps to promote both technologies for high-risk groups like repeat speeding offenders and teen drivers,” IIHS said in a press release. “Teens are more likely than any other age group to be speeding when they are involved in a crash. Cars driven by repeat speeding offenders and teens could be equipped with aftermarket ISA systems that reduce power to the engine. 

“Smartphone apps and in-vehicle systems that warn drivers when they exceed a preset speed could also help curb teen speeding.”

The Road to Zero Coalition will offer more details about their recommendations in a webinar on Jan. 23.

Meanwhile, Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety released its 2024 “Roadmap to Safety” report Wednesday, which also highlighted how ISA could help keep road users safe.

“Speed assistance systems… can provide information to drivers about present speed limits, warn drivers when a car’s speed is above the limit, prevent a car from exceeding the speed limit, or maintain a set speed,” the report said.

The report also said that speed cameras and vehicle-to-everything technologies are other ways to deter excessive speed.

In March 2022, NHTSA issued a request for comment (RFC) on proposed upgrades to its NCAP. This included whether ISA should be included in the program, serve as a warning or warning and intervention, and if override systems should be allowed. 

“NHTSA is reviewing the public comments received on the RFC and is developing a final decision notice,” a spokesperson told Repairer Driven News.

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