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ASA has joined a coalition of organizations urging the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee to include the Safer Roads for Those Who Serve Act of 2026 (S. 4245) in the Senate’s upcoming surface transportation reauthorization legislation.

In a letter to Committee Chairman Cruz (R-TX) and Ranking Member Cantwell (D-WA), the organizations express strong support for legislation introduced by Sens. Cortez Masto (D-NV) and McCormick (R-PA) and call for its provisions to be incorporated into the committee’s transportation package.

The legislation seeks to strengthen protections for the workers who operate alongside moving traffic every day, including construction and maintenance crews, utility workers, emergency responders, law enforcement officers, tow truck operators and other roadside professionals. These workers face significant risks from speeding, distracted and impaired drivers while performing essential work to maintain infrastructure, respond to emergencies and protect the traveling public.

S. 4245 would provide states and transportation agencies with additional tools to address these risks. Among its provisions, the bill would improve the collection and reporting of highway worker crash data and require states experiencing increases in worker injuries and fatalities to address those trends in their Strategic Highway Safety Plans. It would also strengthen public awareness of Move Over laws, support additional research into worker safety and encourage applicants for major federal transportation grants to incorporate work-zone safety measures into project planning.

The letter points to strong public support for these efforts. Nationwide polling of more than 10,000 registered voters found that 76% support improving work-zone safety data and worker protections, while 75% support measures such as physical barriers and automated speed-safety cameras to protect work zones.

For ASA, supporting the legislation underscores the importance of protecting workers and emergency personnel who face dangerous roadside conditions while serving their communities. Improved data collection, public education, research and safety planning can help states identify high-risk locations and implement measures that protect both roadside workers and motorists. 

Finally, ASA is urging the Senate committee to include S. 4245 in its surface transportation reauthorization legislation, emphasizing that the workers responsible for keeping the nation’s roads safe and operational deserve to return home safely at the end of every shift.