Bill > S00346

This bill significantly enhances work zone safety by establishing new legal protections and penalties for drivers who endanger highway workers. The legislation creates a new traffic infraction called "endangerment of a highway worker" which applies when drivers enter unauthorized lanes in work areas or fail to obey traffic control devices without a valid emergency or safety-related reason. The bill introduces graduated penalties based on the severity of harm caused to highway workers, ranging from fines of $500-$1,000 for basic infractions to fines of $2,000-$5,000 and potential imprisonment for incidents causing physical or serious physical injury. Additionally, the bill requires the Governor's Traffic Safety Committee to develop a public education program to increase motorist awareness about work zone safety, expands the legal definition of a "work area" to include more comprehensive highway spaces, and establishes a dedicated "work zone safety fund" that will receive 60% of collected fines. The fund will be used specifically for work zone safety enforcement, markings, speed display signs, and police monitoring, with strict provisions to ensure the money is not used to replace existing safety funding. The bill also mandates annual reporting on the fund's usage and requires consultation with various stakeholders including transportation officials, law enforcement, and worker representatives.

Budget and Finance, Transportation and Infrastructure

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S346