A new bill introduced in the U.S. Senate aims to improve safety for roadside workers across the country.
The Safe Roads for Those Who Serve Act, introduced by Sens. Dave McCormick (R-Pa.) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), takes a multi-faceted approach to reducing fatalities and injuries among workers operating along roadways, according to a joint press release.
Since 2020, more than 500 roadside workers — including first responders, law enforcement, tow truck operations and construction workers — have been killed nationwide.
In Pennsylvania alone, more than 250 work zone crashes in 2024 resulted in 22 deaths, with 45% of those crashes causing injury or fatality, the press release states.
Under the proposed legislation, states would be required to improve how they collect and analyze data on highway worker injuries and fatalities.
If a state records an increase in incidents over a two-year period, it would be required to develop a highway worker safety plan.
Additional provisions include:
- A national public awareness campaign focused on roadside worker safety
- Continued research and outreach on safety improvements
- A requirement for major infrastructure grant applications to include plans to protect workers and drivers during and after construction.
The bill has gained support from several industry groups, including the Towing and Recovery Association of America, Associated General Contractors of America, American Traffic Safety Services Association, and the American Society of Civil Engineers.
Cortez Masto said that while progress has been made on improving driver and pedestrian safety, more work is needed to protect roadside workers.
The bill must move through the Senate legislative process before becoming law. If approved, it would apply to state transportation agencies and influence infrastructure planning requirements nationwide, MyChesCo reported.
Sources: Joint Press Release from Sens. Dave McCormick and Catherine Cortez Masto, My ChesCo
