Why speed limiters are important ?
Last 14 years I was with the journey of vehicle speed governor implementation in India. I wrote 'progress' instead of 'journey' initially. On an afterthought, I changed it. When I was designing & testing a speed governor on a truck, back in 2002, the truck owner was sure that I was wasting my time, for they will never use a speed governor.
Speed governor business is really tricky in India. Government implements it, but doesn't care much about it. The owners doesn't want to use it.
When we purchase any product from the market, we will be cautious about the quality of the product. We will make sure that the product has a warranty, has service centers all around, etc. But in India, most truck owners are only concerned about the price of a speed limiter. They just want a box and an installation certificate !!. I have personally seen rusted empty boxes (Speed limiter units) tied to some vehicle brackets using a cable tie. This is the ultimate fate of a life saving device !!
Most manufacturers sell a low grade product because nobody cares about it. It is good for them. They use the cheapest components and make huge profits. Never get any service call, as customers tamper it. Some times, I have seen a speed governor repaired two or more times before it goes to the Road transport authority testing ground.
Mean while, I have seen countries like Kenya implements speed limiter in a very serious way. Even though truck owners are against it, police wants to implement it properly. I have seen road side police checking against speed limiter tampering, happening frequently in Kenya.
After, 14 years of hard work, I feel that, Road safety has to be taken most seriously by any Governments. Speed management is not just about reducing accidents, but also about creating a new driving culture. For more details about speed management, read WHO's Speed manual by clicking the below link;
