CalSTA Announces New Pilot Program to Crack Down on Extreme Speeding on California Highways

SACRAMENTO- The California State Transportation Agency (CalSTA) today announced a new joint effort by two of its departments, the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and California Highway Patrol (CHP), to curb excessive speeding and prevent deadly crashes. The pilot, Forwarded Actions for Speeding Tickets (FAST), is part of a statewide push to reverse the alarming rise in traffic fatalities and supports California's recent Policy on Road Safety- a coordinated strategy to save lives and make the state's roads safer for everyone.

Each month, CHP officers issue about 1,600 citations to drivers caught traveling more than 100 mph, and in 2024, CHP issued more than 18,000 of these citations. The CHP recently deployed a new fleet of low-profile specially marked patrol cars on the state's busiest and high-risk roads.

Under the new pilot, every driver cited by CHP for exceeding 100 mph will have their citation automatically forwarded to the DMV's Driver Safety Branch - no matter their prior record. The DMV will then review the case and the driver's history to determine next steps, which could include suspension or revocation of driving privileges. This administrative process can proceed independently of any court conviction. The pilot program builds on the DMV's existing Driver Safety Branch enforcement and Negligent Operator Treatment System (NOTS) partnership with CHP.

"Under Governor Newsom's leadership, California is taking bold, data-driven action to confront reckless speeding head-on," said California Transportation Secretary Toks Omishakin. "The FAST pilot reflects our commitment to innovation, accountability and prevention - using real-time information to intervene before dangerous driving turns deadly. This is about protecting lives and delivering on our shared responsibility to make our roads safer for everyone."

"We want to take immediate action against dangerous drivers before their carelessness leads to a deadly crash," said DMV Director Steve Gordon. "We're being proactive, and together with our CHP partners, we're ready to put the brakes on this reckless behavior."

"Driving over 100 miles per hour is a reckless choice that endangers everyone on the road," added CHP Commissioner Sean Duryee. "This new program delivers swift consequences to keep dangerous drivers off California's roadways before their actions cause irreversible harm."

"California is invested in deterring risky driving behaviors and saving lives," Office of Traffic Safety Director Stephanie Dougherty said. "This targeted program serves as a strong reminder that excessive speeding can lead to tragic outcomes and puts everyone on the road at risk. Every time you get behind the wheel, follow the speed limit and drive like your closest friends and family are around you."

Speeding remains a major factor in traffic deaths statewide, contributing to 32% of all fatalities. The DMV-CHP pilot takes a data-driven approach rooted in research showing that swift and certain penalties are the most effective deterrents to high-risk driving. The DMV will evaluate the program's impact by comparing citation and outcome data to the same period in the previous year.

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