{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-carter-yakym-introduce-bill-end-roadside-deaths-involving-disabled", "Congressman Carter, Yakym Introduce Bill to End Roadside Deaths Involving Disabled Vehicles", "2024-09-16", "2024", "2024-09", "Democrat", "House", "LA", "Troy A. Carter", "C001125", "troycarter.house.gov", "troycarter", "https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, Congressman Troy A. Carter Sr. (D-LA) and Congressman Rudy Yakym (R-IN) introduced the bipartisan Preventing Roadside Deaths Act. This legislation would require the Department of Transportation (DOT) to collect, analyze, compile, and publish accurate, detailed data on disabled roadside vehicle accidents and develop a strategic plan to stop these accidents.\n\nThree Southern University students and band members were killed on the evening of December 6, 2022, in rural Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana, while they were changing a tire on the side of Interstate 49. The driver of an 18-wheeler drifted off the road and struck the left side of the students\u2019 disabled vehicle, killing them all instantly. Being stuck along America\u2019s roadways is incredibly dangerous. Crashes involving disabled or vulnerable passenger vehicles stopped on or near active roadways are a deadly, growing traffic safety problem.\n\n\u201cI\u2019m proud to introduce this bill which addresses an urgent and preventable traffic safety crisis,\u201d said Rep. Carter. \u201cThe tragic loss of three Southern University students in December 2022 is a stark reminder of the lethal dangers faced by anyone stranded along America\u2019s roadways. No one should lose their life while performing something as routine as changing a tire or refueling their car. This legislation protects everyday road users and the professionals and first responders who risk their lives to keep our roads safe. It\u2019s past time for comprehensive action to prevent these avoidable roadside deaths. I want to thank Congressman Yakym for his leadership on traffic safety issues, as well as Dr. Martinez and the coalition of traffic safety experts who helped craft this legislation.\u201d\n\nBeing stuck along America\u2019s roadways is incredibly dangerous and a growing problem. Studies show that accidents involving disabled roadside vehicles are often underreported and likely kill or injure over fifteen thousand people in America annually.\n\nIn response to this incident, Congressman Carter began to work with traffic safety professionals and advocates, including Louisiana native and former National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Administrator Dr. Ricardo Martinez, to craft legislation that will make our roadways safer for passengers of disabled vehicles.\n\n\u201cInjuries and deaths resulting from crashes involving disabled roadside vehicles are a tragic and largely preventable problem in our country,\u201d said Rep. Yakym. \u201cI am proud to partner with Congressman Carter on this commonsense, bipartisan legislation so we can help solve a very real issue that affects tens of thousands of people each year and advance a goal we both share: keeping our constituents and all Americans safe on the sides of our roads.\u201d\n\n\u201cImplementing a Safe System Approach to eliminate serious traffic injuries and fatalities requires policy solutions inclusive of all road users, especially vulnerable road users,\u201d said Mark Chung, Executive Vice President of Safety Leadership and Advocacy for the National Safety Council. \u201cVulnerable road user deaths remain troubling even as overall motor vehicles fatalities decline. The National Safety Council believes the Preventing Roadside Deaths Act takes a vital step forward in addressing the crisis on our roads by bringing government stakeholders together to align data and better implement the National Roadway Safety Strategy.\u201d\n\n\u201cUrban League of Louisiana applauds the steadfast efforts of Congressman Carter to author bills that elevate the lived experiences of disinvested communities and which champion tangible outcomes for Louisianans and Americans,\u201d said Judy Reese Morse, Urban League of Louisiana President & CEO. \u201cThe Preventing Roadside Death Act is the most recent example of Congressman Carter seeking to use data as a critical tool in crafting a strategic plan to make Americans safer while commuting. This bill is smart, timely, and addresses a less-known threat to Americans making less than the US median income and Black motorist.\u201d\n\n\u201cA motorist repairing a flat tire, a first responder aiding people after a crash, a police officer stopping an impaired driver, and a construction worker repairing a roadway all have one thing in common. They are vulnerable to being struck and killed or injured by passing motor vehicles, a common occurrence that affects 72,000 people every year. We are proud to support the Preventing Roadside Deaths Act, sponsored by Rep. Troy Carter, Sr. (D-LA) and Rep. Rudy Yakym (R-IN) that directs the Department of Transportation (DOT) to create a national strategy to address this deadly problem because all road users should be protected on all parts of our roadways,\u201d said Cathy Chase, President, Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety.\n\n\u201cThe sharp increase in traffic fatalities in the last few years is a public health threat that must be met head-on. AAA believes the Preventing Roadside Deaths Act is a good first step in that direction and looks forward to working with Congressman Carter, Congressman Yakym, and safety stakeholders to improve safety for anyone stranded or working at the roadside,\u201d said AAA President and CEO Gene Boehm.\n\n\u201cI know all too well the tragedies that can strike families with a disabled roadside vehicle, and I appreciate Congressman Carter\u2019s \u2018Preventing Roadside Deaths Act,\u201d said MADD National Ambassador Michelle Ramsey. \u201cMy 4-year-old son Samuel and 6-year-old son Khaiden were killed by a drunk driver who plowed through safety triangles, struck a car that then struck me, then ran off the road and slammed into my sons, my daughter Kaylee and a teenage neighbor who had come outside to help us. Two beautiful lives were stolen on the side of the road that night and three others will never be the same.\u201d\n\n\u201cEvery few minutes, healthy Americans are killed or injured in these incidents, and the numbers are rising. People in and around disabled vehicles are sitting ducks, especially on high-speed roads. It\u2019s time to address this deadly issue and implement effective solutions,\u201d said Dr. Ricardo Martinez, former NHTSA Administrator and emergency physician.\n\nThis bill is endorsed by Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), American Automobile Association (AAA), National Safety Council, Urban League of Louisiana, Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety, American Association of State Troopers, and Major County Sheriffs of America.\n\nBackground\n\nAccording to peer-reviewed research:\n\nEvery 7 minutes, a disabled vehicle is struck by an oncoming driver\n\nApproximately 72,000 people are affected annually, with over 15,000 people injured or killed\n\nNearly 80% of victims of these accidents are from households that are under the U.S. median income, and Black motorists are twice as likely to die in a disabled vehicle crash than the rest of the U.S. population.\n\nThe frequency of \u201cunintended\u201d pedestrians and \u201cGood Samaritans\u201d killed while attending to disabled vehicles has increased by 27% since 2014.\n\nThis data is incomplete and most likely under-reported due to inconsistent data capture at the local and state level. The problem grows as roads become more congested, average speeds increase, and drivers are exposed to more distractions.\n\nThe Preventing Roadside Deaths Act will increase awareness of the scope and causes of this problem so we can implement effective preventative countermeasures. The bill will:\n\nImproves reporting and accountability by requiring the Secretary of Transportation to collect, analyze, and publish detailed data on Disabled Roadside Vehicle Crashes, and encourage local uniform data collection and sharing\n\nCreates a strategic plan from a working group convened by the Department of Transportation and relevant stakeholder groups to combat this issue\n\nUses existing federal funding and authorization by utilizing the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (the current Surface Transportation Act), where authorities and funding is already available for states and cities to provide the necessary data and implement programs to prevent these accidents.\n\nRead a one-page summary of the bill here.\n\nRead the full text of the bill here.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:43:57Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-carter-yakym-introduce-bill-end-roadside-deaths-involving-disabled"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.1220760643482208, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}