Virginia pumps the brakes on super speeders

Virginia is cracking down on drivers who think the left lane of I-95 is the final lap of the Daytona 500.

Since launching the nation's first program of its kind in July, Virginia has installed ~100 speed-limiting devices in cars driven by people charged with or convicted of reckless driving.

How it works

The device serves as an alternative to suspending the licenses of especially reckless drivers, who are often charged with exceeding 100 MPH on the roads.

• The devices use GPS and a map database to determine the speed limit on a given road and prevent cars from exceeding it, even if drivers floor the gas pedal.
• Drivers can temporarily override the limit in certain situations, like merging onto a highway or making emergency maneuvers.

The goal is to help problem drivers kick their speeding habits without taking away their ability to get around by suspending their license.

But…The program has hit some speed bumps. One driver reportedly had his car's top speed unexpectedly capped at 35 MPH while traveling on a highway, forcing him to pull over, while another said his device mistakenly applied a cross street's speed limit as they were passing through an intersection.

Zoom out: The idea of speed limiters is slowly gaining traction nationwide. Washington D.C. recently launched a similar program, while eight states and D.C. have passed laws allowing speed-limiters for problem drivers, with additional rollouts planned over the next few years.