The R Street Institute has voiced its support for Virginia House Bill 1125, which would authorize the deployment of autonomous vehicles (AVs) in the state. Robert Melvin, Northeast Region Director for the R Street Institute, presented testimony to the House Transportation Committee’s Innovations Subcommittee on February 5, 2026.
HB 1125 proposes a regulatory framework that allows highly autonomous vehicles to operate without a human driver, provided they meet federal safety standards and comply with state traffic laws. The bill also introduces a new AV license through the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles and defines legal responsibilities regarding insurance, geofencing, and statewide safety requirements. Local jurisdictions would be prevented from banning AV operations under this legislation.
Melvin highlighted several issues facing Virginia’s transportation system. He noted that traffic-related fatalities in Virginia increased from 847 in 2020 to 918 in 2024 according to the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (https://www.dmv.virginia.gov/sites/default/files/documents/VA-traffic-crash-2024.pdf). Human error is cited as a significant factor in these incidents, particularly due to drunk driving, aggressive behavior, and distractions at the wheel.
Congestion is another concern for drivers in Virginia. Recent rankings indicate that congestion has worsened in the state, with its position dropping from 24th to 37th nationally (https://reason.org/highway-report/28th-annual-highway-report/virginia/). Traffic problems are costly for residents; depending on their location within Virginia, drivers may lose between $850 and $2,600 annually due to delays and road conditions (https://www.13newsnow.com/article/traffic/hampton-roads-worst-traffic-impacts-in-virginia/291-8f3ee1d0-7f86-44ce-b70d-99830f239b31#:~:text=HAMPTON%2C%20Va.,not%20much%20better%20in%20comparison.;https://wtop.com/dc-transit/2020/02/traffic-rough-roads-cost-average-no-va-driver-102-hours-2600-a-year/).
Research cited by Melvin suggests that allowing AVs could help address these challenges. A study by the University of California at Berkeley found that when AVs led human-driven vehicles, fuel usage dropped by 42 percent and stop-and-go traffic was eliminated (https://ce.berkeley.edu/news/2537). In terms of safety, an analysis of over 25 million miles driven by fully autonomous robo-taxis showed an 88 percent reduction in property damage claims and a 92 percent reduction in bodily injury claims compared to human drivers (https://waymo.com/research/do-autonomous-vehicles-outperform-latest-generation-human-driven-vehicles-25-million-miles/). This data indicates that AVs are about ten times safer than vehicles operated by humans (https://humanprogress.org/waymo-drivers-are-way-safer-10x-than-humans).
Further studies report that AVs are involved in significantly fewer police-reported crashes and injuries than typical drivers (https://waymo.com/safety/impact/). The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates annual medical costs from traffic accidents at around $23 billion; reducing collisions by up to 90 percent could lower those expenses by about $20.7 billion each year (https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8885781/).
Economic benefits were also discussed during Melvin’s testimony. One analysis projects that the autonomous vehicle market could create up to 455,000 jobs nationwide over fifteen years—about 190 jobs per every thousand AVs deployed (https://progresschamber.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Opportunity-AV-How-Many-and-What-Type-of-Jobs-Will-Be-Created-by-Autonomous-Vehicles.pdf). With Virginia’s established technology sector often referred to as “Silicon Valley east,” HB 1125 could attract further investment into the Commonwealth (https://chiefexecutive.net/talent-and-innovation-how-virginia-is-meeting-the-tech-moment/amp/).
According to Melvin: “HB 1125 stands to improve road safety, ease traffic congestion, and support innovation-driven economic growth. Accordingly, we urge the committee to issue a favorable report on House Bill 1125.”
If passed, this legislation would make Virginia one of more than two dozen states permitting autonomous vehicle operations on public roads (https://books.venable.com/Autonomous-Vehicles/4/).
