The Protect Our Students Act amends federal highway safety programs to prioritize reducing traffic injuries and deaths in school zones. Currently, approximately 100 students are killed and 25,000 are injured annually in traffic incidents while walking to or from school, prompting Congress to designate school zone safety as an eligible use of federal highway safety funding. The bill authorizes states to use these federal safety funds for specific improvements including crossing guards, traffic signals, crosswalks, traffic calming measures, flashing warning lights, school zone audits, and automated traffic enforcement systems. Additionally, the legislation increases the federal funding allocation for certain highway safety programs from 40 percent to 50 percent, providing states with more resources to implement these school zone safety initiatives. The bill directs the Secretary of Transportation to issue regulations clarifying how states can use these funds for comprehensive school zone protection efforts.
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