Bill Summary
The proposed legislation aims to enhance highway safety and improve work zone conditions in the United States by amending existing laws pertaining to vehicle roadside crashes and work zone safety. Key provisions include:
1. **Expanded Definitions**: The bill updates definitions related to fatalities and injuries in highway accidents to specifically include occupants and pedestrians associated with disabled vehicles.
2. **Data Collection on Crashes**: It mandates the establishment of two working groups—one focused on disabled vehicle crashes and another on work zone crashes. These groups will involve various stakeholders, including industry professionals and safety experts, to gather and analyze data on related accidents. They will also develop strategic plans to improve safety measures and data sharing.
3. **Awareness Campaigns**: The bill emphasizes the need for public awareness regarding laws meant to protect roadside workers and disabled vehicles, ensuring that motorists are informed about safety practices in these contexts.
4. **Annual Reporting**: The Federal Highway Administration is tasked with submitting an annual report to Congress regarding the use and effectiveness of work zone safety contingency funds, detailing the states' utilization of these funds and recommendations for improvement.
Overall, the legislation seeks to reduce fatalities and injuries related to roadside and work zone incidents through improved data analysis, awareness, and strategic planning.
Possible Impacts
The proposed legislation outlined in the bill could affect people in several ways, including the following:
1. **Improved Safety for Disabled Vehicle Occupants:** By explicitly including "occupants and pedestrians associated with disabled vehicles" in the definition of protected groups under the Highway Safety and Improvement Program, the legislation aims to enhance safety measures for those who may be stranded on the roadside. This could lead to increased awareness and improved traffic laws, thereby reducing the risk of accidents involving disabled vehicles and their occupants.
2. **Enhanced Data Collection and Analysis:** The formation of working groups to gather and analyze data on roadside crashes and work zone incidents will result in a better understanding of the causes and circumstances surrounding these accidents. This information will be crucial for developing targeted interventions and safety measures. As a result, communities may benefit from improved road safety initiatives and infrastructure improvements based on data-driven recommendations.
3. **Increased Awareness and Compliance with Work Zone Safety:** The proposed amendments to the "Move Over or Slow Down" law will likely lead to heightened public awareness of the need to slow down and move over for various entities, including motorists, disabled vehicles, and workers in work zones. This increased awareness can lead to more compliant driving behaviors, ultimately reducing the number of accidents in these high-risk areas and enhancing the safety of both roadworkers and motorists.
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2992 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 2992
To amend title 23, United States Code, and the Infrastructure
Investment and Jobs Act with respect to vehicle roadside crashes, work
zone safety, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
April 24, 2025
Mr. Carter of Louisiana (for himself, Mr. Yakym, Ms. Titus, and Mr.
Bresnahan) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend title 23, United States Code, and the Infrastructure
Investment and Jobs Act with respect to vehicle roadside crashes, work
zone safety, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. VEHICLE AND WORK ZONE ROADSIDE ACCIDENTS.
(a) Highway Safety and Improvement Program.--Section 148(c)(2) of
title 23, United States Code, is amended--
(1) in subparagraph (A)(vi) by striking ``and
pedestrians,'' and inserting ``pedestrians, and occupants and
pedestrians associated with disabled vehicles'';
(2) in subparagraph (B)(i) by inserting ``, and occupants
and pedestrians associated with disabled vehicles'' after
``pedestrians''; and
(3) in subparagraph (D)(vi) by striking ``and pedestrians''
and inserting ``pedestrians, and occupants and pedestrians
associated with disabled vehicles''.
(b) Injury Health Data.--Section 24108(c)(2) of the Infrastructure
Investment and Jobs Act (Public Law 117-58) is amended by inserting ``,
including roadside deaths and work zone deaths'' after ``fatalities''.
(c) Review of Move Over or Slow Down Law Public Awareness.--Section
24109(a) of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (Public Law 117-
58) is amended by inserting ``or motorist, disabled vehicle, worker,
vehicle or machinery in a work zone'' after ``authorized emergency
vehicle''.
(d) Disabled Vehicle Crash Working Group.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary of Transportation, in
conjunction with the Occupational Safety and Health
Administration and other relevant agencies, shall convene a
working group of industry and nongovernment entities, including
representatives of high-risk communities, high traffic risk
professions, such as truckers, traffic incident responders and
first responders, and other relevant stakeholders, including
State and local highway safety experts, insurers, medical and
public health experts, law enforcement and other first
responders, and technology and automobile manufacturers.
(2) Duties.--The working group convened under paragraph (1)
shall collect, analyze, compile, and publish accurate, detailed
data on disabled roadside vehicle crashes, along with a
strategic plan to identify and implement solutions for fatal
and non-fatal injury crashes, adoption of better data sharing
with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration,
including local adoption of the Model Minimum Uniform Crash
Criteria, and annual updates on awareness and intervention
activities and results.
(e) Work Zone Crash Working Group.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary of Transportation, in
conjunction with the Occupational Safety and Health
Administration, Federal Highway Administration, and other
relevant agencies, shall convene a working group of industry
and nongovernment entities, including contractors, pavers,
engineers, construction labor unions, traffic safety industry
professionals, State transportation officials, and others in
the road building community.
(2) Duties.--The working group convened under paragraph (1)
shall collect, analyze, compile, and publish accurate, detailed
data on work zone crashes, along with a strategic plan to
identify and implement solutions for fatal and non-fatal injury
crashes, increased use and effectiveness of work zone safety
contingency funds, adoption of better data sharing with the
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, including local
adoption of the Model Minimum Uniform Crash Criteria, and
annual updates on awareness and intervention activities and
results.
(f) Review of Use and Effectiveness of Work Zone Safety Contingency
Funds.--The Administrator of the Federal Highways Administration shall
submit to Congress an annual report on the use and effectiveness of
work zone safety contingency funds described in section
120(c)(3)(B)(vi) of title 23, United States Code, that includes the
following:
(1) How many and which States have utilized the authority
to use such funds.
(2) How much funding each State dedicated to such funds.
(3) Any other pertinent information about such funds and
recommendations to improve the implementation of such funds
nationwide.
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