California to crack down on extreme speeding on highways

LOS ANGELES (KESQ) - In an effort to crack down on excessive speeding and prevent deadly vehicle collisions, the California State Transportation Agency announced a pilot program today to immediately review drivers cited for driving more than 100 mph.

The state transportation agency is working with the Department of Motor Vehicles and California Highway Patrol on the initiative known as Forwarded Actions for Speeding Tickets, or FAST. It's part of a statewide effort to reverse what state officials describe as an alarming rise in traffic fatalities.  

Under the pilot initiative, citations for excessive speeding will be 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 their driver's license.  

This administrative process can happen independently of any court conviction, according to CalSTA.

The pilot program builds on the DMV's existing Driver Safety Branch enforcement and Negligent Operator Treatment System partnership with CHP.   

"The FAST pilot reflects our commitment to innovation, accountability and prevention -- using real-time information to intervene before dangerous driving turns deadly,'' California Transportation Secretary Toks Omishakin said in a statement. "This is about protecting lives and delivering on our shared responsibilities to make our roads safer for everyone."   

According to CalSTA, CHP officers issue about 1,600 citations per month to drivers caught speeding more than 100 mph. In 2024, CHP officers issued more than 18,000 of such citations.

The CHP recently deployed a new fleet of low-profile specifically marked patrol cars on the state's busiest and high-risk roads, in part, to catch speeding drivers.

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

Speeding remains a major factor in traffic deaths statewide, contributing to 32% of all fatalities, according to CalSTA officials.   

The DMV will evaluate the program's impact by comparing citation and outcome data to the same period in the previous year.