CARS’ Position on California’s FAST Pilot Program: Enforcement Must Be Paired With Education!

The California Alliance for Road Safety (CARS) supports California’s ongoing efforts to address dangerous driving behaviors and reduce roadway fatalities. The recently announced FAST (Focused Acceleration Safety and Technology) pilot program—launched by the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) in partnership with the California Highway Patrol (CHP)—is an important step toward holding the most reckless drivers accountable.

However, enforcement alone is not enough.

What the FAST Pilot Targets

The FAST pilot focuses on drivers cited for traveling over 100 miles per hour, a violation addressed under California Vehicle Code (CVC) §22348(b), which authorizes courts to impose enhanced penalties, including license suspension or revocation for extreme speed violations.

According to information shared regarding the FAST pilot, drivers cited at speeds exceeding 100 mph account for approximately 0.18% of all issued citations each year. While these violations are unquestionably dangerous, they represent a very small portion of overall speeding behavior occurring on California roadways.

Why Education Must Accompany License Action

Under the FAST pilot, administrative actions such as suspension or revocation may be imposed by the DMV. While these sanctions temporarily remove driving privileges, license actions alone do not correct the behavior that led to the violation.

CARS believes that when license suspension or revocation is imposed—particularly for violations under CVC §22348(b)—it should be paired with a mandatory behavioral modification and driver education program. Research and decades of traffic safety practice demonstrate that education is essential to reducing repeat offenses and long-term risky driving behaviors.

The Missing Middle: Excessive Speeders Below 100 MPH

CARS is particularly concerned about drivers traveling 25 miles per hour or more over the posted speed limit.

Despite the severity of this behavior, these drivers are not eligible for Traffic Violator School, which restricts traffic school attendance for excessive speed violations. As a result, a significant population of high-risk drivers receives punishment without any structured opportunity for behavioral correction.

This group represents a critical early intervention opportunity—before a serious crash occurs and before behavior escalates to the extreme speeds targeted by the FAST pilot.

A Proactive, Preventive Solution

CARS and its statewide membership of licensed traffic safety education providers are actively working to develop a standardized excessive-speed behavioral modification course. This program would be designed specifically for drivers cited at 25+ mph over the speed limit but below the 100-mph FAST threshold.

Such a course could be:

• Ordered by courts as a mandatory condition

• Incorporated into DMV administrative actions

• Used in coordination with any driver’s license sanctions.

This approach aligns with California’s broader traffic safety goals and Vision Zero principles by emphasizing prevention, education, and behavior change rather than punishment alone.

Dangerous driving behaviors can be corrected through mandatory, high-quality education—before tragedy occurs.

CARS’ Role in Roadway Safety

The California Alliance for Road Safety (CARS) is a statewide trade and advocacy organization representing licensed traffic schools and driver education providers throughout California. Our mission is to improve roadway safety by promoting evidence-based education, supporting proactive policy solutions, and strengthening collaboration between regulators, courts, and traffic safety professionals.

CARS believes the FAST pilot can be strengthened by:

• Pairing enforcement with mandatory education

• Addressing excessive speeders before escalation occurs

• Leveraging existing, regulated education providers statewide

Moving Forward

CARS looks forward to working collaboratively with the DMV, CHP, courts, and policymakers to ensure California’s traffic safety strategies are comprehensive, preventive, and effective.

Because safer roads are built not just through enforcement—but by changing behavior before lives are lost.

Key References

• California Vehicle Code §22348(b) – Excessive speed (25+ mph over limit; 100+ mph violations)

• California DMV & CHP – FAST Pilot Program (2025 announcement)