Protecting Roadside First Responders Act

This bill addresses transportation matters relating to Move Over laws and crash avoidance technology. Move Over laws are intended to ensure first responder and motorist safety by requiring motorists to change lanes or slow down when approaching an authorized emergency vehicle that is parked or otherwise stopped on a roadway.

Specifically, the bill requires

• the Department of Transportation (DOT) to contract with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to produce research findings on the efficacy of Move Over laws and related public awareness campaigns;
• DOT to award grants to states to prevent death and injury from crashes involving vehicles striking vehicles and individuals stopped at the roadside;
• DOT to implement rules to establish minimum performance standards with respect to crash avoidance technology and to require mandating crash avoidance technology on all new passenger and commercial motor vehicles; and
• all federal fleet vehicles to have crash avoidance technology and, if such vehicles are used for emergency response activities, be equipped with digital alert technology.