Makes traffic accident data a public record, subject to federal law.

Plain-English Summary

This bill would make traffic accident data in Rhode Island available to the general public as an official public record. Currently, this type of data may have restrictions on who can access it or how it can be obtained. If passed, this legislation would allow any member of the public to request and review traffic accident information, following the same rules that apply to other public records in the state.

The bill does include an important condition — access to this data would still need to comply with federal law. This likely refers to federal regulations that protect certain personal information contained in driving and accident records, such as the federal Driver's Privacy Protection Act (DPPA), which limits how personal details from motor vehicle records can be shared or used. So while the data would be more broadly accessible, any personal identifying information would still be protected under those existing federal rules.

This change could affect a wide range of people and organizations. Journalists, researchers, attorneys, insurance companies, safety advocates, and everyday citizens interested in road safety patterns in their communities could all benefit from easier access to this information. Government agencies and transportation planners might also use the data to identify dangerous intersections or high-crash areas.

The bill has been introduced and referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee, which means it is in the early stages of the legislative process and has not yet been voted on.