GPS-based Speed Warning

I caught an article recently about a “new” gadget to warn speeding drivers to slow down. While it is not yet commercially available, I think it will have an eager market. However, I do want to mention that years ago my grandfather had a somewhat similar device on his car, so it is not all together new. While not so “gadgety” as this device, it beeped when the needle on the speedometer reached 40 MPH and again at 50. While he rarely drove more than a mile from his home then, he was a bit of a lead foot and was ticketed once too many times for his liking.

What is new about this gadget is three-fold: 1) it will sense what the speed limit is on a given stretch of road, 2) it displays that speed limit on a screen, and 3) it sounds an alert when that limit is exceeded. It likely will cause at least some of the folks to slow down, avoid speed related crashes and save some lives (a good thing). The other thing it does is records speeding violations in memory. This will allow parents to monitor their teenagers’ driving habits (remember driving is a privilege).

I wonder if they will be out soon, my daughter is 16 this week (although, of course, I trust her implicitly).