In 2013, Joe Martinez received a call informing him that his son Paul had been struck by a car and that he needed to go to the hospital. It was a parent’s worst dread.
Martinez sprung from bed and headed straight for the hospital. When he got there, he discovered that the waiting area was filled with family members, police officers, and medics.
“I’m just screaming and going crazy, like, what the heck is going on? “Where’s Paul, where’s my son?” Martinez exclaimed. “Mr. Martinez, your son Paul has been brought here to the emergency room,” they said. He’s been hit and is upstairs. Although the severity is unknown, it doesn’t appear good.
Martinez pondered how this could not be occurring to him for the next hour. Paul was struck by a car and taken to the emergency department; he passed away an hour later.
Martinez, a single parent, was left with just recollections of his little kid, whom he characterized as a lifelong learner who enjoyed art.
Like any 21-year-old, Paul had aspirations and objectives. Martinez asserted that no 21-year-old is considering death; rather, they are considering life and making plans for the future.
Martinez joined Families for Safe Streets, an advocacy group, in an effort to increase public awareness of traffic safety hazards. He now makes trips from his Fresno home to Sacramento and the Bay Area to spread the word about the risks associated with speeding.
This year, he spearheaded the push for Senate Bill 961, which mandates that California’s new cars include warning systems that activate if the speed limit is exceeded by ten miles per hour.
In a 40 mph zone, a car struck Paul at 54 mph. Martinez now hopes that this proposed law will keep other families from experiencing what his family did ten years ago.
Police told me that Paul had been flung literally hundreds of feet. Paul was hit so hard that Martinez claimed he was knocked completely out of his shoes.
The National Highway Transportation Authority reports that in 2021, traffic accidents caused by speeding claimed the lives of nearly 1,500 individuals. More over one-third of all traffic fatalities that year were caused by speed-related collisions.
Proponents like Martinez anticipate a decrease in that number as a result of SB 961, since the technology will warn drivers when they are speeding. He feels that “no family should experience my pain in order to have safe streets,” thus it makes reasonable to take this precautionary measure to help keep others safe.
By 2030, all new automobiles and trucks sold in the state would have to have speed monitors installed. Emergency vehicles, powered scooters, motorbikes, and other specialist vehicles would be free from this restriction.
California would be the first state in the US to mandate that autos include speed monitoring equipment. Similar restrictions were put into effect by the European Union.
“This is hardly a novel technological advancement. Author of the bill State Senator Scott Wiener stated, “This is proven technology that is already in cars in this country and other parts of the world.”
Car associations fought the plan during the legislative process and are pleading with Governor Gavin Newsom not to enact it.
The Alliance for Automotive Innovation (AAI) argues that requiring this technology in California is going too far; they think the federal government should be in charge of this.
“It is not possible for 50 states to have 50 different sets of safety regulations and automotive technology.Automakers concur that more has to be done to stop drivers from speeding excessively on public roads. The AAI stated in a statement that this should involve increased enforcement of speeding regulations and driver education.
According to an NHTSA representative, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration began looking into intelligent speed assistance devices this year, concentrating on their strengths and weaknesses.
Republicans in California, such as Assemblyman Tom Lackey, were against SB 961. Former California Highway Patrol officer Lackey thinks there will be unexpected ramifications from the additional technology.
“At this point, all you’ll hear is a beep and a flash, which will be distracting. On the Assembly floor, Lackey stated, “It won’t alter behavior.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is in favor of the proposal in the meantime. In support of the bill, agency representatives testified during a Senate Transportation committee.
NTSB chair Jennifer Homendy wrote in support of the system, “Implementing a passive ISA system is an important step that will help the public better understand the benefits of the technology as a driver assistance system and will allow manufacturers to fine-tune the technology for future active system implementation.”
Martinez took the bold decision to forgive the driver who struck his kid because he believed that enough people had experienced the anguish of losing a loved one.
He determined that showing Paul’s artwork in Fresno area art events would be the most fitting way to preserve his memory. In an attempt to pardon the motorist who struck and killed his son, he chose the title of the collection, “Forgiveness.”
He currently anticipates that Governor Newsom will enact SB 961. He has until September 30 to either sign or veto the bill.