Lawmakers intro bill to combat ‘excessive’ trucking lawsuits

This week, lawmakers introduced a bicameral bill that would attempt to put the brakes on trucking lawsuit abuse by upholding federal rather than state safety standards.

On August 11, 2026, Rep. Mike Flood (NE) and Senator Deb Fischer (NE) introduced the Uniform Vehicle Safety Standards Act to “address the recent spike in lawsuits paying out damages for standards set by states rather than federal standards.”

The legislation is intended to combat excessive jury awards in civil suits for trucking accidents based on state safety requirements rather than federal standards, which cause “increased insurance costs, trucking faced with steep payments even when meeting federal standards, and the trucking industry facing regulatory uncertainty,” according to the bill’s supporters.

If passed, lawmakers say the bill would “clarify that auto makers cannot be held liable under state law for building or equipping vehicles that are already in full compliance with federal motor vehicles safety standards set by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.”

“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 Flood. “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.”

The bill is endorsed by a number of trucking industry groups, including the 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.