California is debating charging drivers more for having larger vehicles.
KTLA says California could begin charging weight-based registration fees for heavier passenger vehicles under a bill that’s making its way through the state legislature.
The bill was introduced by San Diego Assemblymember Chris Ward in January.
If passed, a task force would "study the relationship between vehicle weight and injuries to vulnerable road users, such as pedestrians and cyclists".
“We know there are studies suggesting fatality rates can be higher for crashes involving heavier vehicles –– especially models weighing several thousand pounds,” Assemblymember Ward said in a statement to KTLA. “AB 251 will look further into the relationship between vehicle weight and injuries to help inform policy in the future.”
Currently, California has value-based registration fees for passenger vehicles.
If the bill becomes law, about one in six registered vehicles in California could be subject to a weight fee, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.