Intelligent speed assistance (ISA) is quickly gaining traction across North America as a policy tool to address one of the most common contributors to roadway fatalities: speeding.

Much like ignition interlock devices for DUI offenders, ISA technology requires certain high-risk drivers to install a device that monitors speed and limits a vehicle’s ability to exceed posted speed thresholds.

To date, 17 jurisdictions have introduced, drafted or proposed legislation to establish ISA programs aimed at addressing serious speeding infractions and repeat reckless driving offenses.

As more jurisdictions begin exploring legislation, AAMVA’s ISA Working Group is focused on ensuring everyone moves forward together. “This is a way for us to be uniform. This is a way for us all to coexist in this new world of ISA,” says Jessica Ross, AAMVA’s program manager, Driver Programs & Services, and ISA Working Group project manager.

To date, 17 jurisdictions have introduced, drafted or proposed legislation to establish ISA programs aimed at addressing serious speeding infractions and repeat reckless driving offenses.

Uniformity is critical because drivers don’t stay within jurisdictional lines. Without a shared framework, jurisdictions could adopt widely varying program requirements, creating confusion when drivers move or travel between states.

Introducing Model Legislation

To drive that uniformity and reciprocity, the ISA Working Group has introduced model legislation that provides a clear, consistent framework for establishing, administering and recognizing ISA programs across jurisdictions.

For jurisdictions considering or facing ISA bills, the model legislation provides:

• Administrative authority
• Clear qualifying standards
• Uniform device requirements
• Interstate reciprocity framework
• Data-sharing protocols
• Enforcement mechanisms
• Funding and affordability structure
• Operational and implementation guidance

Importantly, it establishes that the driver licensing agency should administer ISA requirements. “The model for us is that the DMV has the administrative authority to impose the ISA requirement,” Ross says. “That’s critical to ensuring continuity and making reciprocity work across jurisdictions.”

The timing, Ross notes, is intentional. With ignition interlock, many states’ enacted their own laws before model legislation and best practices were created, introducing long-standing reciprocity challenges. With ISA, AAMVA has an opportunity to get ahead of the curve and help jurisdictions build from a shared foundation rather than retrofitting uniformity later.

What’s Next for ISA?

The ISA Working Group—which includes DMV representatives, law enforcement, legal experts, industry partners and advocacy organizations—is working toward its next major deliverable: model regulations, which will provide a deeper dive into the operational and procedural details to guide implementation.

A best-practices framework is also anticipated as more jurisdictions launch programs and real-world lessons emerge, Ross notes. “This is the biggest thing to happen to the driver world arguably since the creation of ignition interlock,” she says. “It’s an exciting opportunity for us to make the roads even safer.”