Assembly Bill Proposes Increased Registration Fees for Heavier Vehicles

Having a bigger car could soon cost you.

According to the National Safety Council (NSC), the larger the vehicle, the more likely it is that crashes will become fatal.

John C. has been using his bike for 10 years to get around San Diego County. He had several dangerous skirmishes with cars he shared the road with.

“A car ran a red light, or do you know how it turns yellow? They rush to cross, and then I go. I almost got hit,” John recalled.

According to the NSC, pedestrians are dying in car accidents at an alarming rate. In 2020, the number of deaths hit a four-decade high at more than 7,000, with California having the most in the country.

NSC found that larger vehicles, including pickups, SUVs, and vans, further widen this gap.

Standing at the intersection of 32nd Street and University Avenue in San Diego’s most crash-prone Park North, Assemblyman Chris Ward supported Assembly Bill 251, which proposes higher registration fees for larger vehicles. This is an attempt to get people to buy smaller cars and reduce pedestrian fatalities.

“Large vehicles weighing several thousand pounds are harder to stop or slow down,” he said. “It’s simple physics.”

The proceeds will go towards improving road safety, which will protect neighbors like John who are still with us and honor those who are not living.

One supporter of the AB 251 Bill lost his wife in a car accident a year and a half ago.

“I never said goodbye to Laura,” he said.

Another supporter lost her husband, Matt, who did everything he could to keep himself safe.

“Matt was hit by a driver who was on the wrong path while riding his bike… The night he was killed, the deadly route was still the safest route,” she said.

Before any laws change, state and local transportation agencies will need to study these accidents and their consequences. The nearest completion date for the study is 2027.

California is not the first state to propose a bill like AB 251.

States such as New York, Florida and Virginia have already introduced their own registration fees for excessively heavy vehicles to fund road safety improvements.

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