WASHINGTON, D.C. – As Congress writes the next surface transportation reauthorization, members of the Modern Analytics for Roadway Safety (MARS) Coalition are urging lawmakers to modernize federal safety programs by expanding access to AI, telematics, and predictive analytics – tools that help agencies identify risk before crashes happen.
During meetings across Capitol Hill, MARS members encouraged lawmakers to equip federal, state, and local transportation agencies with proven technologies that support smarter infrastructure design and targeted, preventative safety countermeasures that maximize the impact of federal safety funding.
“Congress has an opportunity to modernize how we approach roadway safety,” said MARS Coalition executive director Andrew Rogers. “Today we can see risk building long before crashes happen, and federal policy should empower transportation agencies to act on that knowledge instead of waiting for tragedy to occur.”
Approximately 40,000 people die on U.S. roads annually, and millions more are injured. In 2022, traffic crashes alone cost the nation more than $470 billion in economic losses. AI, telematics, and predictive analytics are proven tools helping some state and local transportation agencies identify high-risk corridors based on near-misses, hard braking, speeding patterns, and other indicators that reveal prevalent risks before fatalities occur.
“These tools strengthen existing safety programs by helping agencies target funding toward interventions proven to reduce crashes,” Rogers added. “Widespread adoption means safety dollars prevent more serious injuries and fatalities because investments are guided by real risk, not just lagging indicators like historical crash reports.”
Last week, the MARS Coalition hosted its first Advocacy Fly-In in Washington, D.C., bringing together safety advocates, industry leaders, and technology experts as Congress ramps up work on the next surface transportation reauthorization. Discussions centered on shifting roadway safety programs from a reactive model to preventive approaches to leverage new tools that enable preventative safety investments.
About Modern Analytics for Roadway Safety (MARS) Coalition
Modern Analytics for Roadway Safety (MARS) is a coalition of industry leaders, safety organizations, and technology innovators working to prevent crashes before they occur. By advancing the use of telematics, artificial intelligence, and predictive analytics, MARS supports policies that improve roadway design, curb dangerous driving behavior, and save lives.
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