We Went to Sacramento Because Enough Is Enough - Streetsblog California

"I was running in a San Francisco park when a speeding driver ran a red light, hit me head-on, and threw me 20 feet through the air. I broke my neck and my back. I still remember lying in the emergency room listening to doctors discuss whether I would survive. I was one of the lucky ones. After eight months, I recovered. Many families never get that outcome."

"Last week, I traveled to Sacramento with twenty other crash survivors, family members who lost loved ones, and advocates to support the Stop Super Speeders bill ( Assembly Bill 2276, previous coverage). Together, we held more than 30 meetings with legislators and staff to talk about something that should unite all Californians: preventing deadly speeding before another family is shattered forever."

"We were not there as professional lobbyists. We were there as people carrying grief, trauma, and urgency into the halls of power. Some of us lost children. Some lost spouses, parents, or siblings. Some survived catastrophic crashes themselves. Every one of us understands the devastating consequences of speeding in a deeply personal way."

"The urgency of this moment has become impossible to ignore, especially after CalMatters published its powerful " License to Kill " investigation documenting how dangerous drivers repeatedly remain on California roads despite extensive records of reckless behavior. Survivors and families already knew this reality firsthand. The series confirmed what we have experienced for years: preventable traffic violence continues because the system too often fails to intervene before tragedy happens. Speeding is one of the leading behavioral factors in deadly crashes, and a relatively small group of extreme and repeat speeders disproportionately cause the most severe harm."

A crash survivor described being hit head-on by a speeding driver who ran a red light, resulting in a broken neck and back and a period of uncertainty in an emergency room. After eight months, recovery was possible, but many families do not receive that outcome. Survivors, family members, and advocates traveled to Sacramento to support the Stop Super Speeders bill, holding more than 30 meetings with legislators and staff. The group emphasized that they were not professional lobbyists, but people carrying grief, trauma, and urgency. They cited reporting that dangerous drivers repeatedly remain on the roads despite extensive records, arguing that preventable traffic violence persists because the system fails to intervene early. Speeding is identified as a leading behavioral factor, with a small group of extreme repeat speeders causing disproportionate severe harm.

Read at Streetsblog California