Roadway Safety Modernization Act of 2025
- Bill Number
- S. 3572
- Origin Chamber
- Senate
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Transportation and Public Works
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2025-12-18: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
- Last Updated
- 2026-05-21T11:03:37Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose of the Legislation
The Roadway Safety Modernization Act of 2025 aims to update federal highway safety programs by allowing the use of advanced technologies, such as predictive data analytics (tools that forecast risks based on patterns) and telematics (vehicle tracking systems), in grant-funded efforts. This integration seeks to enhance roadway safety planning, risk assessment, and freight operations through data-driven methods.
Key Provisions
- Amendments to Highway Safety Improvement Program (Section 148 of Title 23, U.S. Code):
- Expands eligible activities to include developing, acquiring, or deploying safety data systems using predictive analytics, telematics, and other validated tools.
- Requires safety plans to incorporate data on traffic, licensing, vehicles, and predictive tools for risk modeling.
- Mandates the use of crash data and advanced tools in project selection and evaluation processes.
- Adds requirements for evaluating project effectiveness in reducing crashes, injuries, or fatalities, and comparing safety strategies.
- Amendments to National Highway Freight Program (Section 167 of Title 23, U.S. Code):
- Includes development of safety data tools like predictive analytics and telematics as eligible for freight planning.
- Directs the Federal Highway Administration Administrator to assess the need for operating standards for "intelligent freight transportation systems" (innovative tech for freight efficiency, security, and safety, such as dedicated lanes or information systems) within one year and report to Congress if needed.
- Adds definitions for "intelligent freight transportation system" and "safety data."
- Amendments to National Priority Safety Programs (Section 405(c) of Title 23, U.S. Code):
- Encourages states to integrate predictive analytics and telematics into their safety data systems for grant eligibility.
- Allows funding for deploying these tools to identify high-risk road segments, analyze crash causes, and support performance-based planning.
- Guidance and Oversight Requirements:
- The Secretary of Transportation must issue guidance within one year on best practices for anonymizing (removing personal identifiers from) safety data, securing it, protecting privacy, ensuring transparency in tool use, and validating methodologies (e.g., proven risk analysis methods) for reliability.
- Requires internal coordination within the Department of Transportation (DOT) across agencies like the Federal Highway Administration and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
- Mandates consultation with other federal entities, such as the Departments of Energy and Commerce, to promote effective use and interoperability of these tools across programs.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Expansion of Grant Eligibility: Previously, federal highway safety and freight grants under Title 23 focused on traditional infrastructure and data collection; this bill explicitly adds predictive analytics, telematics, and validated tools as allowable uses, broadening how funds can address proactive safety risks.
- Enhanced Data Integration: Amends data collection and planning requirements to prioritize predictive modeling over reactive crash reporting, including redesignation of subparagraphs to insert new technology-focused criteria.
- New Reporting and Standards Process: Introduces a one-year timeline for assessing intelligent freight systems standards, which did not exist before, and defines key terms to clarify scope.
- Privacy and Validation Focus: Adds mandatory guidance on data handling, which was not previously required in these sections, emphasizing ethical and reliable use of advanced technologies.
Potential Impacts
- On Government Agencies: DOT agencies will face increased coordination duties and must develop new guidance, potentially streamlining safety programs but requiring resources for implementation and validation. States and localities, as grant recipients, gain flexibility in using tech for safety but must comply with new data standards.
- On Citizens: Could lead to safer roads by enabling earlier identification of hazards, reducing crashes, injuries, and fatalities through better-targeted interventions; however, it raises privacy concerns if data collection expands without strong safeguards.
- On International Relations: Minimal direct impact, though improved freight safety on federal highways may indirectly enhance cross-border trade efficiency, particularly at land ports of entry.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- State and Local Transportation Departments: Primary grant recipients who will integrate new technologies into safety planning and projects.
- Freight and Trucking Industries: Benefit from enhanced tools for efficient and safer operations on federal highways.
- Federal Agencies (e.g., DOT Sub-Agencies): Responsible for oversight, guidance, and coordination.
- Drivers and Road Users: Indirectly affected through potential safety improvements and data-driven policies.
- Technology Providers: Companies developing analytics and telematics systems may see new federal funding opportunities.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal Implications: Strengthens data privacy protections by requiring anonymization and security guidance, aligning with broader federal laws on personal information (e.g., avoiding violations of privacy statutes). Ensures tools are "validated" to prevent unreliable applications in safety decisions.
- Constitutional Implications: No direct challenges apparent; supports the federal government's commerce clause authority over interstate highways without infringing on state rights, as it expands voluntary grant options.
- Political Implications: Promotes bipartisan infrastructure modernization (introduced by senators from different parties), potentially advancing "smart" transportation agendas, but may spark debates on data privacy, government surveillance, and funding priorities in future appropriations.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (4)
Sen. Padilla, Alex [D-CA], Sen. Hyde-Smith, Cindy [R-MS], Sen. Lummis, Cynthia M. [R-WY], Sen. Alsobrooks, Angela D. [D-MD]
Recent Actions
- 2025-12-18: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
- 2025-12-18: Introduced in Senate
Bill Versions
- Roadway Safety Modernization Act of 2025 — issued 2025-12-18 — PDF (9 pages)