This legislation aims to significantly improve safety and reduce fatalities and injuries for individuals involved in roadside incidents and work zones across the United States. It achieves this by amending existing federal transportation laws to broaden the scope of highway safety improvement programs, specifically including occupants of and pedestrians associated with disabled vehicles in safety considerations. The bill mandates enhanced data collection by requiring the inclusion of roadside deaths and work zone deaths in injury health data reported under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. It also expands the focus of public awareness campaigns for "Move Over or Slow Down" laws to protect not only emergency vehicles but also disabled vehicles, workers, and machinery in work zones. Crucially, the legislation establishes two dedicated working groups: one for disabled vehicle crashes and another for work zone crashes . These groups, comprising various stakeholders, are tasked with collecting and analyzing detailed crash data, developing strategic plans for prevention, improving data sharing with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and providing annual updates on awareness and intervention activities. Finally, the bill requires annual reports to Congress on the use and effectiveness of work zone safety contingency funds, ensuring accountability and continuous improvement in funding allocation.
Preventing Roadside and Work Zone Deaths Act of 2026
USA119th CongressS-3871| Senate
| Updated: 2/12/2026
This legislation aims to significantly improve safety and reduce fatalities and injuries for individuals involved in roadside incidents and work zones across the United States. It achieves this by amending existing federal transportation laws to broaden the scope of highway safety improvement programs, specifically including occupants of and pedestrians associated with disabled vehicles in safety considerations. The bill mandates enhanced data collection by requiring the inclusion of roadside deaths and work zone deaths in injury health data reported under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. It also expands the focus of public awareness campaigns for "Move Over or Slow Down" laws to protect not only emergency vehicles but also disabled vehicles, workers, and machinery in work zones. Crucially, the legislation establishes two dedicated working groups: one for disabled vehicle crashes and another for work zone crashes . These groups, comprising various stakeholders, are tasked with collecting and analyzing detailed crash data, developing strategic plans for prevention, improving data sharing with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and providing annual updates on awareness and intervention activities. Finally, the bill requires annual reports to Congress on the use and effectiveness of work zone safety contingency funds, ensuring accountability and continuous improvement in funding allocation.