Preventing Roadside and Work Zone Deaths Act of 2026
SB 3871, the Preventing Roadside and Work Zone Deaths Act of 2026, would direct federal transportation and safety agencies to expand attention to crashes involving disabled vehicles and work zones. It amends the Highway Safety Improvement Program to explicitly include occupants of and pedestrians associated with disabled vehicles in eligible safety considerations, and it updates Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act provisions so injury and fatality data collection includes roadside deaths and work zone deaths. The bill also broadens public-awareness review of “move over” or slowdown laws to cover motorists, disabled vehicles, workers, vehicles, and machinery in work zones.
The bill further requires the Secretary of Transportation, working with OSHA and other agencies, to convene two stakeholder working groups: one focused on disabled-vehicle roadside crashes and one on work zone crashes. These groups would gather and publish detailed crash data, develop strategic plans to reduce fatal and nonfatal injuries, improve data sharing with NHTSA, encourage adoption of the Model Minimum Uniform Crash Criteria, and provide annual updates on awareness and intervention efforts. In addition, the Federal Highway Administration would have to report annually to Congress on the use and effectiveness of work zone safety contingency funds, including state participation, funding levels, and recommendations for improvement.
If enacted, the bill would amend Title 23 of the U.S. Code and related provisions of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, expanding the federal framework for highway safety planning, crash data collection, and work zone safety oversight. It would not create a new state program directly, but it would influence state transportation agencies, highway safety offices, and local crash-reporting systems by encouraging better data standards, more detailed reporting, and broader use of work zone safety contingency funds. The bill would also affect federal agencies including USDOT, FHWA, NHTSA, and OSHA, as well as stakeholders such as trucking, construction, first responder, and insurance communities.
Based on the bill text and sponsorship, the measure appears broadly safety-oriented and preventive, with bipartisan sponsorship from Senators Blumenthal and Fischer suggesting an emphasis on practical highway safety rather than partisan conflict. The bill’s focus on reducing deaths and improving data collection, awareness, and coordination indicates a generally supportive posture toward stronger roadside and work zone protections. No committee debate or recorded votes were provided, so there is no evidence of formal opposition in the available materials.
The main potential points of contention are likely to be implementation and administrative burden rather than the underlying safety goals. States may be concerned about the cost or complexity of improving crash data systems, adopting the Model Minimum Uniform Crash Criteria, and participating in new reporting and coordination efforts. Industry and agency stakeholders could also differ on how aggressively to use work zone safety contingency funds, how to structure the working groups, and whether the bill’s expanded reporting requirements create duplicative oversight. However, no specific objections are documented in the provided materials.