New Law Could Suspend Your License Immediately for Driving 100+ MPH
California Highway Patrol enforcing the new FAST program on state highways
California has just launched a groundbreaking pilot program that's changing the game for traffic enforcement. The FAST (Forwarded Actions for Speeding Tickets) program is a joint initiative between the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and the California Highway Patrol (CHP) designed to remove extreme speeders from the road before they cause deadly crashes.
Unlike traditional traffic enforcement, where drivers might wait months for their day in court while continuing to drive recklessly, FAST takes immediate action against anyone caught driving 100 mph or faster on California highways.
Get caught going 100+ mph = Automatic DMV review = Possible immediate license suspension/revocation. No waiting. No second chances. This is California's answer to the alarming rise in traffic fatalities.
The difference between the old system and the new FAST program is dramatic. Here's what's changed:
Step 1: Get pulled over for 100+ mph
Step 2: Receive citation
Step 3: Wait 3-12 months for court
Step 4: Continue driving during wait
Step 5: Maybe face consequences... eventually
Step 1: Get pulled over for 100+ mph
Step 2: Citation automatically sent to DMV
Step 3: DMV Driver Safety reviews immediately
Step 4: License suspension/revocation decision within days
Step 5: Action taken BEFORE court date
California officials didn't create this program on a whim. The numbers tell a disturbing story about extreme speeding in the Golden State:
Let's put this in perspective: 1,600 drivers every month means roughly 53 people are caught driving 100+ mph every single day in California. That's not a typo. Every single day, dozens of drivers are treating California highways like a personal racetrack.
You might be wondering: "Isn't this too harsh? What about due process?" But here's what the research clearly shows—the most effective way to change dangerous behavior isn't necessarily the harshest punishment; it's swift and certain consequences.
"We believe that early intervention is the key to saving lives. We want to take immediate action against dangerous drivers before their carelessness leads to a deadly crash." — Steve Gordon, DMV Director
Think about it this way: If you drive 120 mph today and don't face real consequences for six months while your case winds through the courts, what's stopping you from doing it again tomorrow? The connection between the dangerous action and the consequence gets completely lost in the delay.
But if you get pulled over today and your license is suspended by next week? That's an immediate, life-altering wake-up call that actually changes behavior.
Driving 100+ mph isn't just "a little faster than everyone else." The physics of high-speed driving are brutal and unforgiving:
California isn't just implementing new policies—they're using new technology and tactics to catch extreme speeders. In May 2024, the CHP deployed 100 Specially Marked Patrol Vehicles (SMPVs) that are designed to blend into regular traffic.
These aren't your typical black-and-white patrol cars with flashing lights on top. These vehicles look like ordinary cars you'd see on any highway—sedans, SUVs, even trucks. They're specifically designed to catch what CHP officers call "video game-styled driving"—aggressive, reckless speeding that treats highways like a virtual racing game.
Let's be completely transparent about who this program targets and who has nothing to worry about:
"Driving over 100 miles per hour is not a mistake; it is a reckless choice that endangers everyone on the road. This new program delivers swift consequences to keep dangerous drivers off California's roadways before their actions cause irreversible harm." — CHP Commissioner Sean Duryee
Let's walk through the complete step-by-step process if you're caught driving 100+ mph under the FAST program. Understanding this timeline is crucial:
1. Citation Issued: A CHP officer pulls you over and writes the ticket for excessive speed. This is documented with exact speed, location, time, and conditions.
2. Automatic Referral: Here's where FAST kicks in—your citation is automatically forwarded to the DMV Driver Safety Branch. There's no delay, no waiting, no "maybe." It happens immediately through an electronic system.
3. Comprehensive Record Review: The DMV Driver Safety team examines your complete driving history, including:
4. Decision Made: The DMV determines whether immediate action is warranted. Possible outcomes include:
The FAST program builds on California's existing Negligent Operator Treatment System (NOTS), which has been relatively successful at identifying problem drivers. However, FAST takes enforcement to an entirely new level of effectiveness:
Drivers accumulated "points" for various violations over time. The system worked like this:
A single citation for 100+ mph can trigger immediate DMV action, even if you have zero points on your record and have never had a ticket before in your life. The state isn't waiting for you to become a statistically "negligent operator"—one extreme speeding incident is enough to demonstrate dangerous, life-threatening behavior that requires immediate intervention.
FAST isn't happening in isolation. It's a key component of California's ambitious Policy on Road Safety—a coordinated, statewide strategy to reverse the alarming upward trend in traffic fatalities that has plagued the state in recent years.
Primary Objective: Significantly reduce traffic fatalities and serious injuries through data-driven interventions, enhanced enforcement technology, and comprehensive public education campaigns.
Core Strategy: Focus resources on the most dangerous behaviors—extreme speeding, impaired driving, distracted driving, and aggressive driving—with swift, certain, and meaningful consequences.
Guiding Philosophy: Prevention over punishment. Stop dangerous drivers BEFORE they cause crashes and take lives, not after the damage is done.
"Under Governor Newsom's leadership, California is taking bold, data-driven action to confront reckless speeding head-on. The FAST pilot reflects our commitment to innovation, accountability and prevention — using real-time information to intervene before dangerous driving turns deadly. This is about protecting lives and delivering on our shared responsibility to make our roads safer for everyone." — Toks Omishakin, California Transportation Secretary
A: Yes, absolutely. If you're caught driving 100+ mph in California, you'll be subject to the FAST program regardless of where your license is issued—whether you're from Nevada, Arizona, Oregon, or anywhere else. California will also report the violation to your home state through the Driver License Compact (DLC), which means you could face additional consequences when you return home.
A: You absolutely have the right to contest the citation in court with evidence of equipment malfunction. However, understand that the DMV action happens on a separate parallel track. You'll need to request a specific DMV administrative hearing to challenge their suspension decision independently of your criminal/traffic court case. Having a lawyer for both proceedings is highly recommended.
A: Possibly, but it's definitely not guaranteed and is handled case-by-case. The DMV evaluates each situation individually. Given the extreme severity of 100+ mph speeding, restricted "hardship" licenses may be significantly harder to obtain compared to suspensions for other types of violations. You'll need to demonstrate genuine hardship and have an otherwise clean record.
A: True medical emergencies may be considered by both the court and the DMV, but you'll need to provide compelling, documented evidence. Hospital admission records, 911 call logs, or emergency room documentation would be necessary. "I was late for work," "the road was empty," or "I was in a hurry" absolutely will not qualify as emergencies.
A: The duration varies significantly based on your complete driving record and the specific circumstances. First-time offenders with otherwise completely clean records might face suspensions of 30-90 days. Repeat offenders or those with prior serious violations could lose their license for 6 months to a year or more. Revocations (vs suspensions) can be permanent, requiring complete re-licensing.
A: Absolutely, and significantly. A 100+ mph citation combined with a license suspension will dramatically increase your insurance premiums—often by hundreds or even thousands of dollars per year for multiple years. Some insurance companies may drop you entirely and refuse to renew your policy, forcing you into high-risk insurance pools that cost even more.
A: Currently, it's designated as a pilot program, which means California officials are closely monitoring its effectiveness in actually reducing crashes and saving lives. However, all early indicators suggest it's working well. If the data continues to show positive results (which it likely will), expect FAST to become permanent statewide policy and possibly even expand to other categories of dangerous driving.
A: "Everyone else was doing it" has never been, and will never be, a valid legal defense for breaking traffic laws—especially for extreme speeding. If traffic is flowing at 100+ mph (which would be extremely rare and dangerous), that doesn't make it legal or safe. You're responsible for your own choices behind the wheel.
The FAST program represents a fundamental paradigm shift in how California approaches traffic safety and law enforcement. For decades, the emphasis has been on reactive enforcement—punishing drivers after they cause harm, investigating crashes after lives are lost, and hoping that delayed consequences might somehow change future behavior.
FAST completely flips this outdated model on its head with truly proactive intervention that prioritizes prevention over punishment.
The simplest way to avoid the FAST program and all its serious consequences? Don't drive 100+ mph. It's really that straightforward.
California highways have speed limits for critically important reasons—your safety and the safety of everyone sharing the road with you. Every person in every car around you has a family waiting for them at home. They have dreams, responsibilities, and people who love them.
Remember: No destination is worth a life. Not yours, not anyone else's.
Traffic safety experts, law enforcement officials, and policymakers across California are watching the FAST program's rollout closely. While it's still in the relatively early stages, initial reactions from professionals have been overwhelmingly
