RELATING TO MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES -- SUPER SPEEDER, ACCOUNTABILITY ACT
H8098 creates the “Super Speeder Accountability Act” and adds a new chapter to Rhode Island’s motor vehicle laws requiring certain high-risk drivers to use an aftermarket Intelligent Speed Assistance (ISA) device as a condition of license reinstatement or continued operating privileges. The bill applies to “eligible offenders,” including drivers whose licenses were suspended for excessive speeding, racing, or reckless driving where speed was a factor, as well as drivers with multiple moving violations subject to existing repeat-offender provisions. An ISA device uses GPS to limit a vehicle’s speed to posted or preset limits, and the bill requires the device to be installed, maintained, and used for at least 12 months after reinstatement.
The bill also establishes a regulatory framework for device providers and installers, directs the Department of Motor Vehicles to create procedures for restricted licenses and compliance monitoring, and requires annual reporting on program performance, including recidivism and compliance rates. It includes penalties for tampering, bypassing, or operating without the device, including immediate re-suspension or revocation and an extension of the ISA requirement. The act further clarifies that vehicle manufacturers, distributors, and retailers are generally not liable for aftermarket ISA devices and are not required to make vehicles compatible with them.
If enacted, the bill would add a new enforcement and rehabilitation tool to Rhode Island traffic law by making ISA devices a mandatory condition for certain repeat or extreme speeding offenders. It would affect the Department of Motor Vehicles, the Rhode Island traffic tribunal, district courts, ISA vendors and installers, and drivers subject to license suspension or restricted reinstatement. The bill would also create new administrative duties for certification, compliance verification, data handling, and annual reporting, while establishing new penalties for noncompliance and tampering.
The bill’s stated purpose and structure suggest a strong public-safety orientation, with supporters framing it as a technology-based alternative to fines and suspensions that may better change driver behavior and reduce repeat speeding. The bill text emphasizes road safety, recidivism reduction, and the need for more effective tools against chronic speeding. No committee transcripts or recorded votes were provided, so there is no documented opposition or formal legislative sentiment beyond the bill’s pro-safety framing.
The main points of potential contention are the mandatory nature of the ISA requirement, the cost burden placed on offenders for leasing, installation, maintenance, and removal, and privacy or data-use concerns arising from device monitoring and reporting. Another likely issue is the scope of eligibility, which includes not only extreme speeding and racing but also repeat moving violations under existing law. Liability protections for vehicle manufacturers and the requirement that only certified providers and installers be used may also draw attention from industry stakeholders and implementation agencies.