Car Speed Limiter

Updated: 13 March 2021

When you have teen drivers, one of your worst fears is your kids being hurt or killed in an automobile accident. While accidents can happen for a wide variety of reasons, including bad weather conditions and distracted driving, one of the leading causes is speeding.

Almost 10,000 people were killed in speeding-related accidents in 2017, with 40% of the drivers involved being between the ages of 16 and 24, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

With these alarming statistics, it’s no wonder that parents worry about their teen drivers hitting the road. Speeding is completely preventable, but there is no guarantee your teens will follow the law every time they get behind the wheel.

However, there is now new technology in the form of a car speed limiter device that allows parents to control how fast their teens can drive. This gives you peace of mind when your kids are behind the wheel and allows you to feel confident every time they hit the road.

What Is a Car Speed Limiter?

A car speed limiter is a small, electronic device that restricts the top speed of a vehicle to 73 miles per hour. By using a computer to monitor driving behaviors and regulate speed, the device provides invaluable information that can ultimately save lives. It is easily installed and monitors driving behaviors so parents can see how their teens behave behind the wheel. There are two types of devices currently available.

Highway Guardian is designed primarily to restrict speed. It was designed by two Ohio law enforcement officers, Dan, and Kim Mager, who are also parents to a teen driver. The device can be installed on most vehicle models manufactured after 1990, which allows you to control your teen’s speed whether he or she drives a new or used car.

Family Link is a device that not only serves as a speed governor for cars but also sends parents a virtual “report card” on how their teen is driving. The device uses GPS tracking to monitor your teen’s location and alert you when he or she reaches the destination.

The ‘report card’ also informs parents of bad driving habits such as tailgating and hard braking. Family Link was developed and manufactured by General Motors and Ford as a way to cut down on many of the bad driving behaviors that contribute to vehicle accidents.

What Does a Car Speed Governor for Cars Do?

The purpose of a car speed limiter is to prevent your teens from driving too fast. It allows parents to program a top speed that teen drivers can’t exceed. If you want to speed control cars, this type of device effectively cuts down on how fast the vehicle can travel.

While it won’t prevent drivers from traveling too fast for bad weather conditions, it can prevent them from driving above the posted speed limit, which drastically reduces the chance that your kids will be involved in a vehicle accident.

Certain types of speed limiters also monitor and record other driving habits. These records can then be used in several ways. Not only can parents use them to see and correct bad behavior in younger drivers, but teens can also view the records themselves to see how they can become better drivers.

Some insurance companies even give policy discounts to vehicles with comprehensive limiters installed. This is because having a record of how the driver performs on the road gives insurance companies a better understanding of who is and isn’t a safe driver.

This can ultimately save you a significant amount of money, so having a comprehensive record of driving habits is an excellent idea.

How Does a Car Speed Limiter Work?

When you drive a car, your speed is governed by the fuel injector system. Comprised of a fuel pump, a carburetor, an injector and cylinders, the fuel system determines how much gas is delivered to the engine at any given time.

When you press down on the gas pedal, it signals the fuel pump to deliver gas to the carburetor, which mixes the fuel with the perfect combination of air and moves it to the injector. The injector then disperses the fuel-and-air mixture as equally as possible into each of the cylinders to power the engine.

When this process is unhindered, you can travel as fast as you want to. The more fuel that is delivered to the engine, the faster your vehicle with travels. A car speed limiter device works by regulating the amount of fuel that is delivered to the engine. By carefully calculating how much fuel is required to exceed a certain speed, the device can prevent excess fuel from reaching the engine.

By regulating how the fuel injection system works, a car speed limiter reduces the speed of the vehicle without hindering the car’s performance.

Typically, a speed limiter prevents drivers from exceeding 73 miles per hour, although the limit can be adjusted to meet your individual needs. You can travel any speed up to the limit, but the regulator prevents excess fuel from reaching the engine so you can’t exceed the limit.

Most modern vehicles have a built-in speed limiter, but they are strictly intended to keep the vehicle from reaching incredibly excessive speeds.

Aftermarket speed limiters such as Highway Guardian and Family Link are used to limit the speed to a safe pace. While a built-in limiter may prevent you from traveling more than 120 miles per hour, an aftermarket one is intended to regulate you at a much slower pace. This is why it is ideal for teen drivers.

What Are the Benefits of a Car Speed Limiter? 

While it may seem intrusive to install a device on your teen driver’s car that monitors his or her driving habits, a speed limiter serves as an incredibly effective way to make teens aware of their driving behavior.

You should also take into consideration that in rare instances, it is actually safer for drivers to momentarily exceed the speed limit to overtake other vehicles that are traveling too slowly. However, it is far more likely that speeding will cause accidents rather than prevent them, so a speed limiter is a wonderful idea for teen drivers.

There are numerous advantages to installing this type of technology on your teen’s vehicle. In addition to reducing the risk of an accident occurring by preventing excessive speeding, a speed governor for your teen’s car also provides the following benefits.

• • Gives you peace of mind knowing how your teen is driving and where he or she is.

  • Helps teens become more aware of their driving habits so they can sharpen their skills.

  • Keeps teens from wanting to show off while behind the wheel because they know their parents can see their driving behavior.

How Much Does a Car Speed Governor for Cars Cost?

The cost of speed limiters varies depending on which one you choose to install. The amount of activity that the device measures also plays a role in how much it costs.

For instance, Family Link, the technology created by General Motors and Ford, will soon become an available feature in standard vehicles, so you can upgrade without paying for the device separately.

Highway Guardian, on the other hand, is available for almost any recent make and model for $299.

The difference is the Highway Guardian primarily monitors speed, while Family Link records all types of driving behavior. Because it is a more comprehensive device, you will pay more for Family Link as a feature in a GM or Ford vehicle. Highway Guardian, however, is a one-time purchase and can be installed on any brand of car, not just GM or Ford.

If you aren’t as concerned about your teen developing bad driving habits and instead want to focus more on limiting speed, you may prefer to pay for Highway Guardian.

If you want to have a comprehensive understanding of how your teen is driving and where he or she is at all times, it may be worth it to pay more for a new vehicle with Family Link.

How Is a Car Speed Limiter Device Installed?

Although most vehicles come with a built-in speed limiter, you will need to remove it if you want to replace it with an aftermarket device that further reduces speed.

Because installation involves reconfiguring several wires and the computer system on the car, it is best done by a licensed professional.

First, the technician will remove the original speed limiter by disconnecting the wires and taking apart the fuel injector system. Next, the new speed limiter is set in place.

Each of the wires is then reconnected before the car’s entire computer system is tested to make sure everything is working correctly. If everything goes smoothly, the process typically only takes an hour to perform.

How Do You Know If a Vehicle Speed Limiter Is the Right Choice for You?

Now that you know what car speed limiters are and how they work, are they a good choice for you?

If you want a way to closely monitor your teen driver and encourage him or her to develop better driving habits, a car speed limiter is a wonderful investment.

Whether you choose to purchase a new vehicle with a pre-installed speed limiter or buy an aftermarket one, the peace of mind it provides you with is priceless. It can also be a valuable investment to improve your own driving habits since it keeps you from speeding as well, reducing the number of traffic tickets you incur.

A car speed limiter device is a great investment for drivers of all ages, but it can be especially beneficial for teen drivers. Several different types of speed limiters are available for you to choose from, and each one monitors various driving behaviors so you can choose the one that meets your individual needs.

Whether you choose to use one that comes installed as a feature on a new vehicle or purchase an aftermarket speed limiter, it can set your mind at ease knowing that the number one cause of fatal vehicle accidents is prevented every time your teens leave the house.

If you live in the metro Phoenix area and want to get a car speed limiter for your vehicle, visit your local Valley Chevy dealership today.

Our service technicians are highly skilled and have the knowledge and experience to install a speed limiter in your vehicle. We are also able to answer any questions you have about whether having a limiter is a good idea, so contact us today to get started on keeping your teen driver safe when he or she is on the road.

Stop by one of the premier Chevy dealers in the Phoenix area to check out this emerging technology to protect your loved ones.

Joe has been closely associated with the automotive industry for the past 10 years. He worked closely with dealerships at his previous job with the Charlotte Observer, who had a partnership with Cars.com. At his current role, he is actively involved in promoting the Chevy brand in the Phoenix-Metro area along with Valley Chevy.