Governor Approves Bill to Study Impacts of Heavy Vechicles

For Immediate Release: 10/10/23

Contact: Jared Sanchez, CalBike (714) 262-0921, Jared@CalBike.org

Governor Signs Bill to Study Safety Impacts of SUVs and Light Trucks

SACRAMENTO – Governor Newsom has signed AB 251 (Ward), the Deadly Oversized Cars Bill, which will convene a task force to study the relationship between vehicle weight and injuries to people biking and walking and assess the costs and benefits of imposing a passenger vehicle weight fee.

“AB 251’s opponents in the legislature cynically called this bill a ‘Family Tax,’ because families are more likely to drive SUVs and minivans,” said Jared Sanchez, policy director for CalBike. “Statistics on these heavy vehicles show that the elderly and children are far more likely to die after being struck by one of these oversized vehicles. Those people have families, too. AB 251 will help understand and hopefully reverse the monster vehicle arms race currently playing out on California’s streets and highways.”