Section 1 Short title
This Act may be cited as the “Safer Roads for Those Who Serve Act of 2026”.
Safer Roads for Those Who Serve Act of 2026
A BILL
To amend title 23, United States Code, to enhance roadside worker safety, and for other purposes.
Sec. 2 Federal Highway Administration roadside worker safety
Section 148 of title 23, United States Code, is amended—
in subsection (c)(2)—
in subparagraph (A)—
in clause (v), by striking “and” at the end;
in clause (vi), by adding “and” after the semicolon at the end; and
by adding at the end the following:
“(vii) to improve the collection of data on roadside worker crashes and to differentiate the safety data for highway workers (as defined in section 630.1004 of title 23, Code of Federal Regulations (or a successor regulation)) from other road users;”
in subparagraph (B)(i), by inserting “highway workers (as defined in section 630.1004 of title 23, Code of Federal Regulations (or a successor regulation)),” after “pedestrians),”; and
in subparagraph (D)—
in clause (v), by striking “and” at the end;
in clause (vi), by adding “and” after the semicolon at the end; and
by adding at the end the following:
“(vii) improves the ability of the State to differentiate the fatalities and serious injuries of highway workers (as defined in section 630.1004 of title 23, Code of Federal Regulations (or a successor regulation)) from other road users;”
in subsection (d), by adding at the end the following:
“(4) Highway workers—If the total annual injuries and fatalities of highway workers (as defined in section 630.1004 of title 23, Code of Federal Regulations (or a successor regulation)) in a State increases over the most recent 2-year period for which data is available, that State shall include in the next State strategic highway safety plan a list of strategies to address the increases in those rates of injury and fatality, taking into account the practices and recommendations identified through the Work Zone Management Program of the Federal Highway Administration.”
Sec. 3 National Highway Traffic Safety Administration roadside worker safety
Highway safety programs— Section 402(a)(2)(A) of title 23, United States Code, is amended—
in clause (xiii), by striking “activated; and” and inserting “activated or when construction workers, service and utility personnel, individuals assisting disabled vehicles, occupants of disabled vehicles, or other vehicles with hazard warning lights or flashing lights are stopped or parked on or next to a roadway;”;
in clause (xiv), by adding “and” at the end; and
by adding at the end the following:
“(xv) to reduce injuries and deaths of drivers and highway workers (as defined in section 630.1004 of title 23, Code of Federal Regulations (or a successor regulation)) resulting from crashes in work zones;”
National priority safety programs— Section 405(h) of title 23, United States Code, is amended—
in paragraph (1), by inserting “, including highway workers (as defined in section 630.1004 of title 23, Code of Federal Regulations (or a successor regulation)),” after “individuals”; and
in paragraph (4), in each of subparagraphs (B), (C), and (D), by inserting “, including highway workers (as defined in section 630.1004 of title 23, Code of Federal Regulations (or a successor regulation)),” after “individuals”.
Promotion of Move Over laws—
In general— Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (referred to in this subsection as the Administrator) shall update the public awareness materials of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to more fully reflect the types of vehicles and drivers supported by State “Move Over laws”, including law enforcement, emergency responder services, fire and rescue services, construction workers, drivers of utility, waste, and recycling collection vehicles, tow truck operators, and drivers of disabled vehicles, at incidents along roadways.
Public service announcement—
In general— Not later than 180 days after the date on which the Administrator updates the public awareness materials of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration under paragraph (1), the Administrator shall carry out a public service announcement to underscore the ways to protect roadside workers, including law enforcement, emergency responder services, fire and rescue services, construction workers, drivers of utility, waste, and recycling collection vehicles, tow truck operators, and drivers of disabled vehicles, at incidents along roadways.
Partnerships— In carrying out the public service announcement under subparagraph (A), the Administrator may partner with existing work zone safety outreach programs and cooperative efforts of the Department of Transportation, including the Office of Operations of the Federal Highway Administration and its related work zone safety programs.
Authorization of appropriations— There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this subsection $2,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2027 through 2031, to remain available until expended.
Sec. 4 Research and outreach efforts
Definitions— In this section:
Highway worker— The term highway worker has the meaning given the term in section 630.1004 of title 23, Code of Federal Regulations (or a successor regulation).
Secretary— The term Secretary means the Secretary of Transportation.
Research and outreach— The Secretary shall carry out research and outreach activities to improve the safety of highway workers, including activities addressing roadside incidents and methods to protect highway workers through behavior-based interventions, education, engineering solutions, and technology.
Use of existing research and outreach facilities— In carrying out subsection (b), the Secretary shall—
build on existing roadside worker safety research and outreach programs, including studies carried out by the Transportation Research Board of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine; and
use existing research and outreach facilities available to the Secretary, including—
the Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center;
university transportation centers established pursuant to section 5505 of title 49, United States Code; and
the Office of Operations of the Federal Highway Administration and its related work zone safety programs.
Authorization of appropriations— There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $3,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2027 through 2031, to remain available until expended.
Sec. 5 Roadside worker safety in grant applications
INFRA— Section 117(h) of title 23, United States Code, is amended—
in paragraph (5), by striking “and” at the end;
in paragraph (6), by striking the period at the end and inserting “; and”; and
by adding at the end the following:
“(7) the extent to which the project includes measures for the protection of highway workers (as defined in section 630.1004 of title 23, Code of Federal Regulations (or a successor regulation)) and other road users—
“(A) during construction, including planning and practices to reduce vehicle intrusions and to manage speeds; and
“(B) along the highway after completion.”
Mega— Section 6701(f)(3) of title 49, United States Code, is amended—
in subparagraph (E)(iii), by striking “and” at the end;
in subparagraph (F), by striking the period at the end and inserting “; and”; and
by adding at the end the following:
“(G) whether, and the degree to which, a project includes a work zone safety plan that describes how highway workers (as defined in section 630.1004 of title 23, Code of Federal Regulations (or a successor regulation)) and other road users will be protected during construction and after completion of the project.”
BUILD— Section 6702(d)(4) of title 49, United States Code, is amended—
in subparagraph (C), by striking “and” at the end;
in subparagraph (D), by striking the period at the end and inserting “; and”; and
by adding at the end the following:
“(E) the project has demonstrated efforts—
“(i) to protect highway workers (as defined in section 630.1004 of title 23, Code of Federal Regulations (or a successor regulation)) and other road users during construction; and
“(ii) to improve safety for highway workers (as so defined) after completion of the project.”