Sean Duffy removes road safety policies from Federal Highway Administration website

U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has removed several safety policies from the Federal Highway Administration website, scrubbing recommendations for bike lanes, road diets, and speed cameras. Duffy redirected $1.73 billion in federal grants toward traditional road infrastructure while launching the Freedom to Drive initiative. Safety experts express deep concern over these rollbacks, noting that an estimated 36,640 people died in U.S. traffic crashes in 2025.

Removal of FHWA website resources

• ▪The Federal Highway Administration temporarily removed its Highway Safety Information System crash database from public view for several months in 2025 during guidebook updates.
• ▪The U.S. Department of Transportation deleted webpages providing information on pedestrian and bicyclist safety from the Federal Highway Administration website.
• ▪The Federal Highway Administration removed five recommendations from its proven safety countermeasures list, including bike lanes, road diets, automated speed cameras, and variable speed limits.

Sean Duffy policy initiatives

• ▪U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy redirected $1.73 billion in federal grants away from Biden-era diversity, equity, inclusion, and climate initiatives toward roads, bridges, and ports.
• ▪U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy launched the Freedom to Drive initiative in April 2026 to reduce traffic congestion by maximizing roadway capacity.

US traffic fatality statistics

• ▪Speeding is a contributing factor in nearly one-third of fatal motor vehicle crashes in the United States each year.
• ▪According to federal data analyzed by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, U.S. pedestrian killings rose 72% between 2009 and 2024, while cyclist deaths increased 73% from 2010 to 2024.
• ▪The U.S. Department of Transportation estimated that 36,640 people died in motor vehicle crashes across the United States in 2025.

Automated speed safety cameras

• ▪Automated speed safety cameras reduce serious traffic injuries and fatalities by mailing citations to vehicle owners who exceed posted speed limits, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
• ▪A growing number of communities are installing automated speed safety cameras on their streets, frequently placing them in school zones.

United Nations road safety resolution

• ▪The United Nations General Assembly's July 2026 road safety resolution called on member nations to recommit to halving global road deaths by 2030.
• ▪In July 2026, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a road safety declaration by a 162-1 vote, with the United States casting the sole opposing vote.

New England village crosswalk

• ▪Town employees in the New England village originally planned to install a speed bump due to increased foot traffic near the harbor.
• ▪A New England village installed a green-painted crosswalk with four yield signs as a compromise between pedestrian safety measures and local aesthetic preferences.

Debatable claims

• ▪Disqualifying non-citizen commercial truck drivers is justified on safety grounds
• ▪USDOT should prioritize funding traditional highways over bike and pedestrian infrastructure
• ▪Removing bike lanes and speed cameras from federal guidance undermines road safety