The Safer Roads for Those Who Serve Act of 2026 enhances roadside worker safety by improving data collection, expanding federal grant requirements, and mandating national public awareness campaigns.
Catherine Cortez Masto
Senator
NV
The Safer Roads for Those Who Serve Act of 2026 aims to reduce injuries and fatalities among highway workers and roadside personnel through improved data collection, enhanced safety planning, and expanded public awareness campaigns. The bill mandates the integration of worker safety measures into federal grant applications and directs the Department of Transportation to invest in research and technology to better protect those working on or near our roadways.
Safer Roads for Those Who Serve Act of 2026: New Safety Mandates and $25 Million in Funding to Protect Roadside Workers and Drivers
We’ve all seen it: you’re driving home after a long shift, and you see the flashing lights of a tow truck or a construction crew on the shoulder. It’s a high-stakes environment where a split-second distraction can be fatal. The Safer Roads for Those Who Serve Act of 2026 is stepping in to make those roadside 'offices' a lot safer. Starting in 2027, the bill puts real money—$5 million annually through 2031—into research and public awareness to ensure that when a utility worker is fixing a line or a family is stranded with a flat tire, they aren't sitting ducks. It’s not just about slogans; the bill changes the rules for how states get highway cash, requiring them to actually prove they are making roads safer for the people working on them.
Accountability in the Orange Cones
One of the biggest shifts here is how states have to handle their data. Under Section 2, if a state sees an increase in highway worker injuries or deaths over a two-year period, they can’t just look the other way. They are required to overhaul their safety plans with specific strategies to reverse that trend, drawing on proven practices from the Federal Highway Administration. For the person behind the jackhammer or the flagger directing traffic, this means their safety is no longer a footnote—it’s a prerequisite for state funding. The bill also demands better data collection, finally separating 'highway worker' stats from general traffic data so we can see exactly where the system is failing.
Moving Over is No Longer Optional Advice
We’ve all heard of 'Move Over' laws, but this bill puts some serious muscle behind them. Section 3 directs the NHTSA to launch a massive public awareness campaign within two years, specifically targeting drivers who pass emergency vehicles, utility trucks, and even regular people stuck in disabled cars. It authorizes $2 million a year for this push, including public service announcements that remind us that 'roadside workers' includes everyone from the trash collector to the person changing a tire. If you’re a commuter, expect to see a lot more education on why that lane change is a legal and moral necessity.
Safety as a Condition for Construction
The bill also changes the 'fine print' for big-money infrastructure grants like INFRA and BUILD. In the past, these grants focused heavily on things like traffic flow and economic impact. Now, Section 5 adds a mandatory checklist: if a city or state wants federal millions for a 'Mega' project, they must submit a comprehensive work zone safety plan. This plan has to detail exactly how they’ll protect workers during construction and how the road’s design will keep people safe after the ribbon-cutting. Whether you’re a software dev driving through a construction zone or a trade worker on the crew, these provisions ensure that safety is baked into the project’s budget from day one.