Bills · S 3871
IN COMMITTEE· 119TH CONGRESS
Senate BillS 3871Transportation and Public Works
Preventing Roadside and Work Zone Deaths Act of 2026
INTRO FEB 12· LAST ACTION FEB 12
READING
4MIN
COSPONSORS
1
READER REACTIONS0 TOTAL
NO VOTES YET · BE THE FIRST
- Introduced only
LEGISLATIVE PROGRESS
STEP 2 / 8Introduced
In Committee
Reported
Passed Senate
Passed House
Conference
To President
Became Law
WHAT THE BILL DOES
AI-writtenThis bill addresses a serious and often overlooked safety issue: the dangers faced by people on the side of the road, whether they're dealing with a flat tire or working on highway construction. Currently, many "Move Over" laws focus primarily on emergency vehicles, but this bill expands that protection to all people and vehicles on the roadside. If it becomes law, it could lead to more targeted safety improvements, better public awareness of how to protect those on the shoulder or in work zones, and more accurate data to guide future safety initiatives.
Without this bill, safety programs might continue to overlook the specific risks faced by people around disabled vehicles or in work zones, leading to preventable injuries and deaths. Better data and focused working groups could identify specific causes of these accidents and lead to practical solutions, potentially saving lives and reducing injuries for motorists, emergency personnel, and construction workers alike.
KEY PROVISIONS
5AI-extractedPROVISION 01
Expands the scope of the Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) to explicitly include the safety of occupants of and pedestrians associated with disabled vehicles.
This ensures that federal funds for highway safety are specifically directed towards protecting vulnerable people around broken-down cars.
PROVISION 02
Requires specific collection of data on 'roadside deaths and work zone deaths' as part of injury health data reporting.
Better and more specific data is crucial for understanding the problem and developing effective solutions to prevent these types of fatalities.
PROVISION 03
Expands public awareness campaigns for 'Move Over or Slow Down' laws to include protecting motorists with disabled vehicles and workers/machinery in work zones.
This educates drivers on their responsibility to protect all individuals and vehicles on the roadside, not just emergency responders.
PROVISION 04
Establishes a 'Disabled Vehicle Crash Working Group' and a 'Work Zone Crash Working Group' to collect data, analyze crashes, and develop strategic plans for solutions.
These groups will bring together experts to thoroughly investigate the causes of these crashes and propose specific, data-driven strategies to prevent them.
PROVISION 05
Mandates an annual report to Congress on the use and effectiveness of work zone safety contingency funds by states.
This provides oversight and transparency, helping to ensure that funds intended for work zone safety are being used effectively.
SPONSORSHIP
1 + 1
D· Connecticut
YRS IN OFFICE
15
BILLS LED
127
COSPONSOR BREAKDOWNBIPARTISAN · 0%
DEM 0 REP 1 IND 0
ACTION TIMELINE
2 EVENTSFEB 12
Introduced in Senate
FEB 12
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
BILL INFO
TypeSenate Bill
NumberS 3871
Congress119th
StatusIn Committee
IntroducedFeb 12, 2026
Last actionFeb 12, 2026
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IN COMMITTEE· 119TH CONGRESS · COMMERCE, SCIENCE, AND TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE · INTRODUCED FEB 12, 2026
Senate BillS 3871Transportation and Public Works
Preventing Roadside and Work Zone Deaths Act of 2026
INTRODUCED FEB 12, 2026· LAST ACTION FEB 12, 2026
PASSAGE CHANCES
—%
READING
4 min
COSPONSORS
1
COMPLEXITY
Moderate
