Assembly Concurrent Resolution 52 (ACR 52) is a timely and necessary measure that opens the door for California to adopt voluntary, privacy-protected safe driver incentive programs. These programs allow drivers to opt in to share real-time behavioral data—such as speeding, hard braking, and phone use—in exchange for the opportunity to lower their insurance premiums through safer driving.
This approach has never been more critical. Traffic fatalities in California are rising, prompting Governor Newsom to announce a record-setting investment in enforcement and road safety programs in October 2024. With approximately 12 Californians killed on roadways each day, the state is making historic infrastructure and enforcement investments—but behavioral risk remains a major contributor to crashes. From distracted driving to speeding, it’s clear that driver behavior is a core safety challenge—and a growing cost driver for insurance rates.
Despite this, California remains the only state where consumers are prohibited from opting in to safe driving programs that offer real-time feedback and incentives. Drivers currently have no way to actively demonstrate improved behavior or reduce their risk profile through daily driving habits. A single ticket or prior crash—regardless of improvement—can raise premiums for years. The system locks drivers into a price based on the past, even when their behavior today would justify a better rate.
ACR 52 changes that. It modernizes the state’s regulatory framework by removing the barrier that blocks insurers from offering these incentive programs. It does so without mandating new technology, without requiring public funding, and without undermining Proposition 103. In fact, it enhances Prop 103’s foundational goal: to ensure that insurance pricing is based on fair, accurate, and relevant risk assessment. By allowing drivers to demonstrate how safely they drive in real time—voluntarily, and under strict privacy protections—ACR 52 offers a path toward fairer pricing, safer roads, and greater consumer control.
The resolution also draws a firm line between voluntary, insurer-administered telematics and the unauthorized data harvesting by third-party brokers and automakers that has recently made headlines and spurred federal investigations. This aligns with standards promoted by the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) and other privacy groups: opt-in only, purpose-specific data collection, and full transparency for consumers.
ACR 52 has the rare distinction of bringing together insurers, privacy advocates, and road safety researchers around a single, consumer-first model. It reflects the understanding that behavioral risk reduction must be part of California’s traffic safety strategy, and that drivers deserve both transparency and choice in how their data is used. With insurance premiums climbing and road risks growing, this resolution comes at exactly the right moment—giving Californians the tools to drive safer, spend less, and retain control over their personal data.
