Highway Safety Act

Highway Safety Act - Authorizes appropriations to specified highway safety programs and highway safety research and development programs.

Authorizes the appropriation of $150,000,000 for fiscal 1974 and $225,000,000 for fiscal 1975 for the elimination of hazards of railway-highway crossings.

Authorizes the appropriation of $225,000,000 for fiscal 1974 and $450,000,000 for fiscal 1975 for bridge construction and replacement.

Establishes special pavement marking programs and appropriates $125,000,000 for both fiscal 1974 and 1975 to be available until expended to carry out such programs.

Authorizes the Secretary of Transportation to carry out safety research on the following subjects: (1) the relationship between the consumption and use of drugs and their effect upon highway safety and drivers of motor vehicles; and (2) driver behavior research. Authorizes to be appropriated for each of the fiscal years 1974 and 1975 the sum of $100,000,000 to eliminate or reduce the hazards at specific locations or sections of highways which have high accident experiences or high accident potentials, such study to be conducted by the Federal Highway Administration.

Provides that two-thirds of such funds authorized and expended in any fiscal year shall be appropriated out of the Highway Trust Fund.

Requires each State to report to the Secretary not later than September 30, 1974, and every September 30 of each year thereafter, on the progress being made to implement projects for high-hazard locations and the effectiveness of such improvements.

Directs the Secretary to conduct a full and complete investigation of the use of the mass media and other techniques for informing the public of means and methods for reducing the number and severity of highway accidents.

Directs the Secretary to conduct an investigation of ways and means for encouraging greater citizen participation and involvement in the traffic enforcement process.

Directs the Secretary to make a study of the feasibility of establishing a National Center for Statistical Analysis of Highway Operations designed to acquire, store, and retrieve highway accident data and standardize the information and procedures for reporting accidents on a nationwide basis. Requires the Secretary to report to the Congress his findings and recommendations not later than January 1, 1975.

Authorizes the Secretary to make a full and complete investigation and study of pedestrian safety and report his findings and recommendations to the Congress no later than January 31, 1975.

Provides that no State shall receive less than one-half of one percent of all funds authorized to be appropriated for highway safety.

Allows the Secretary to make incentive grants to states which have attained above average results in carrying out safety programs.