Over the past few years, I have written several articles on “Intelligent Speed Assistance” (ISA) and how it can be used to reduce speeding almost exponentially. A new Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) study prepared by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Volpe Center provides a road map of best practices for fleet operators working to implement active ISA in commercial vehicles.

While most readers of this article do not operate a fleet of vehicles, this article will show how ISA could be used to save lives and make travel safer for all vehicles.

Many fleets already use speed governors that prevent their vehicles from exceeding an absolute maximum, such as 65 mph. Active ISA is more flexible. It uses GPS technology, onboard sensors that “read” speed limit signs, or a combination of both to determine the local speed limit and detect when the driver exceeds it. ISA can even prevent drivers from accelerating beyond the local limit or allow drivers to exceed the posted limit by a certain margin or percentage.

There are two versions of ISA — passive and active. Passive issues visual or auditory alerts when the limit is exceeded, but doesn’t control vehicle speed. Active limits the throttle to prevent the driver from exceeding the speed limit. It does not brake to reduce vehicle speed. Research has found active ISA substantially reduces speeding above set thresholds.

Active ISA can be customized to allow a temporary override or incorporate a set tolerance over the speed limit. Some systems can even help drivers avoid low bridges. ISA is different from a static speed limiter, such as a governor, which sets an overall top speed for the vehicle. This can reduce freeway speeding, but it doesn’t prevent a driver from going over the limit on slower roads.

“Speeding by commercial drivers is especially dangerous because they drive large, heavy vehicles,” IIHS President David Harkey said. “Active ISA addresses that danger and saves fleet operators money at the same time.”

Fleet managers interviewed for the IIHS report noted a general decrease in aggressive driving, which contributed to a 30% reduction in preventable collisions for one carrier. Less speeding reduced wear and tear, leading to lower maintenance costs and some fleets noted increases in fuel economy. In addition, fewer speeding violations contributed to improved Compliance, Safety, Accountability (CSA) scores. For one company, the CSA score, which increases with each violation, fell from about 65 to 20.

Others noted that ISA could help companies avoid high-profile incidents that can lead to lawsuits and negative publicity. Implementing ISA could also be a public relations asset, demonstrating a commitment to safety.

Speeding was a factor in nearly 12,000 deaths in 2023. ISA could be a game changer in road safety generally, not just for fleets.

Addressing this risky behavior is critical if we want to significantly reduce fatalities and serious injuries on our highways. The European Union has required ISA on new vehicles manufactured after July 2022. Why not in the U.S.? Fleets can lead the way.