Congressman Flood Leads Bicameral Bill Cracking Down on Excessive Trucking Lawsuits

LINCOLN, NEBRASKA - Today, U.S. Congressman Mike Flood (NE), along with Congressmen Jake Ellzey (TX), Jay Obernolte (CA), and David Rouzer (NC) introduced the Uniform Vehicle Safety Standards Act. U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (NE) introduced companion legislation in the Senate. The legislation aims to address the recent spike in lawsuits paying out damages for standards set by states rather than federal standards.

"In recent years, we've seen a sharp rise in lawsuits awarding damages based on state standards instead of the federal safety standards trucking companies are already required to meet," said Congressman Flood (NE). "Americans deserve one clear set of rules instead of a patchwork of state regulations that drive up costs and create uncertainty for businesses that already follow the law. I'm grateful to Congressmen Ellzey, Obernolte, and Rouzer as well as to Senator Fischer for joining me in this effort addressing this growing problem and helping ensure our safety laws are fair, consistent, and work for the American people."

"Federal motor vehicle safety standards provide manufacturers with clear and consistent requirements that apply nationwide," said Congressman Obernolte (CA). "When manufacturers comply with those standards, they should not face costly lawsuits simply for failing to exceed them. Lawsuit abuse raises costs across the supply chain, threatens American jobs and ultimately leaves consumers paying the price. The Uniform Vehicle Safety Standards Act will restore certainty for manufacturers while ensuring vehicle safety requirements remain grounded in consistent federal standards."

"Frivolous lawsuits put unnecessary pressure on American businesses, driving up shipping costs and higher prices for consumers. When businesses adhere to federal safety standards, they shouldn't face excessive liability based on inconsistent court decisions. I'm proud to support legislation that provides greater certainty for law-abiding businesses to help keep costs down for American families," said Congressman Rouzer (NC).

A one-pager of the Uniform Vehicle Safety Standards Act can be found by clicking here.

Full text of the Uniform Vehicle Safety Standards Act can be found by clicking here.

This legislation comes amid an increase in civil lawsuits where juries awarded damages for accidents based on state standards even when the vehicles in question were in full compliance with federal standards. The result of these cases have seen increased insurance costs, trucking faced with steep payments even when meeting federal standards, and the trucking industry facing regulatory uncertainty.

The Uniform Vehicle Safety Standards Act ensures that the federal standards set by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration are the nationwide standard, providing greater certainty to trucking while also upholding federalism.

Support for the Uniform Vehicle Safety Standards Act:

This legislation is endorsed by major industry and trucking groups, including Alliance for Automotive Innovation, American Bus Association, American Property Casualty Insurance Association, American Trucking Associations, International Foodservice Distributors Association, National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies, National Association of Trailer Manufacturers, National Motor Freight Traffic Association, National Tank Truck Carriers, Nebraska Trucking Association, Timpte, Truck Renting and Leasing Association, Truck Trailer Manufacturers Association, Truckload Carriers Association, and Werner.

"When NHTSA establishes a federal safety standard, manufacturers and motor carriers should be able to rely on that determination. Allowing lawsuits to effectively impose equipment mandates that diverge from federal requirements creates uncertainty, drives up costs, and threatens the uniformity that keeps our nation's supply chain moving safely and efficiently," said American Trucking Associations SVP of Legislative Affairs Alex Rosen. "The trucking industry applauds Reps. Flood, Obernolte, Rouzer, and Ellzey for introducing this commonsense legislation to affirm NHTSA's role as the nation's expert regulator for motor vehicle safety standards. If NHTSA, after evaluating the available evidence through its rulemaking process, determines that a particular standard strikes the appropriate balance to maximize motor vehicle safety, that expert determination should carry greater weight than the hindsight judgments advanced by profit-seeking trial attorneys in individual courtrooms."

"By establishing a uniform standard, this legislation shields carriers from frivolous lawsuits while ensuring motor vehicle manufacturing upholds established, federally mandated safety requirements for all drivers," said Nathan Meisgeier, President and Chief Legal Officer, Werner Enterprises, Inc.

"Nebraska's trucking industry plays a vital role in supporting agriculture, manufacturing, retail, construction, and virtually every sector of our state's economy. Legal predictability and fairness are essential to maintaining a strong transportation network and ensuring that carriers can continue investing in the people, equipment, and technologies that improve roadway safety," said Nebraska Trucking Association President & CEO Kent Grisham. "Congressman Flood knows that when manufacturers and operators have demonstrably adhered to all applicable laws, regulations, and recognized safety practices, they should not face unreasonable liability based on hindsight or inconsistent standards imposed after the fact. His willingness to lead the way in passing legislation that will establish safeguards against such nonsense in our courts makes him a true hero to trucking."

"NTTC strongly supports the Uniform Vehicle Safety Standards Act, and commends Senator Fischer and Representative Flood for their leadership to provide much needed relief to the commercial trucking industry - the backbone of the American economy. The American motoring public rightfully expects truck manufacturers to be built to high federal safety standards, but it is unreasonable to hold any industry accountable to 50 standards created through 50 state courts. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration produces world-leading safety regulations, and state suits should not be allowed to supplant federal standards," said Ryan Streblow, NTTC President and CEO.

"TRALA strongly supports the Uniform Vehicle Safety Standards Act, which will protect truck rental and leasing companies from unreasonable lawsuits involving vehicles that fully comply with federal safety standards. This legislation will preserve a consistent national framework, reduce costly litigation, and prevent optional safety equipment from being treated as mandatory through state-by-state court decisions," said TRALA President & CEO Jake Jacoby.

"The Truckload Carriers Association and its membership proudly support the Uniform Vehicle Safety Standards Act, as it reinforces the principle that there should be one national standard for vehicle safety. Motor carriers that comply with federally established safety requirements should not be subjected to inconsistent lawsuits seeking to impose standards beyond those adopted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Recent litigation in the trucking industry has demonstrated the importance of protecting companies that comply with federal safety regulations, providing greater certainty for businesses operating across state lines. By reducing unnecessary litigation costs and preventing conflicting court decisions, this legislation strengthens interstate commerce while preserving the integrity of the federal vehicle safety framework. The truckload industry believes safety is best advanced through clear, uniform federal standards that apply consistently nationwide, rather than through a patchwork of differing legal expectations imposed through litigation," said TCA President Jim Mullen.

"Motorcoaches are interstate by nature, and our industry depends on clear, consistent federal vehicle safety standards," said Fred Ferguson, President and CEO of the American Bus Association. "Operators and manufacturers should be held to the rigorous safety requirements established by NHTSA, but they should not face a patchwork of after-the-fact lawsuits that effectively impose different vehicle equipment standards from one state to the next. The Uniform Vehicle Safety Standards Act provides needed certainty while preserving NHTSA's central role in establishing and updating vehicle safety standards. The American Bus Association thanks Congressman Flood and Senator Fischer for their leadership and is proud to support this commonsense legislation."

"Legal system abuse, including excessive litigation and nuclear verdicts, is making things more expensive across the economy for every American. NAMIC applauds Congressman Flood and Senator Fischer for leading on this important issue to provide much needed legal certainty for truckers, insurers, and the consumers who rely on them," said NAMIC's Jimi Grande, SVP - Federal & Political Affairs

"We are pleased to support this bill which will close this loophole and ensure that standards are set at the federal level, providing much-needed certainty and enhancing safety," said Chris Burroughs, President & CEO of the Transportation Intermediaries Association. "Certainty is essential to keeping America's roads safe, and under the current legal framework, motor vehicle manufacturers remain exposed to civil liability at the state level even if they have met the applicable federal safety standards."

"IFDA thanks Senator Fischer and Representative Flood for introducing the Uniform Vehicle Safety Standards Act. Foodservice distributors operate some of the largest commercial fleets in the country and invest heavily to ensure federal motor vehicle safety requirements are met," said Mala Parker, Senior Vice President of Government & Public Affairs at the International Foodservice Distributors Association. "This bill gives our industry much needed legal certainty by creating uniformity among safety requirements while keeping our nation's roads safe."

"NMFTA supports the Uniform Vehicle Safety Standards Act of 2026. A single, uniform federal safety standard, rather than a patchwork of common law verdicts second guessing manufacturers who met that standard in good faith, restores consistency to how motor vehicle safety compliance is treated across state lines. We appreciate Senator Fischer and Congressman Flood's attention to this issue," said Debbie Sparks, Executive Director, NMFTA.