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6/11/2026
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Assembly OKs bill to release crash data as public records
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STATE HOUSE – Data about traffic collisions will be declared a public record under legislation sponsored by Rep. Rebecca Kislak and Sen. Meghan E. Kallman and passed by the General Assembly today.
The bill, which now goes to the governor, is meant to enable the public to access and analyze data and advocate for safety improvements in places where accidents are more frequent or serious.
“Information about the safety of our public streets is public information. Police reports about individual collisions are public records, so of course an existing collection that aggregates them should also be public, especially because it’s such a valuable tool for analyzing where dangers lie,” said Senator Kallman (D-Dist. 15, Pawtucket, Providence),
Said Representative Kislak (D-Dist. 4, Providence), “Transparency about where crashes happen is in the best interest of the public and public safety. We should all know what is happening on our streets. If anyone would like to help identify the places where people are getting hurt, their efforts should be welcomed and met with assistance. The public is much better served when people have the information they need to identify dangers and advocate for change.”
The Department of Transportation collects crash data from municipal police departments across the state, but has refused to release that data, citing a federal law concerning its use in litigation.
However, as numerous advocates pointed out in their testimony in support of this bill, that federal law states only that such information shall not be subject to discovery or admitted into evidence in actions for damages. It does not prohibit the public release of that information. In fact, 42 states release this data, and some, including Massachusetts, offer online portals that make it easy to access.
The legislation (2026-H 7576, 2026-S 2480) states that such data are public records, stipulating they may not be used in violation of the federal statute.
The bill is supported by the American Civil Liberties Union of Rhode Island, Bike Newport and the Providence Streets Coalition, which sought this data from RIDOT a few years ago in an effort to create an interactive map to show where pedestrians and cyclists have been injured in crashes. When RIDOT denied that request, the group got the information for Providence from the Providence Police Department.
However, expanding that map statewide proved difficult. Although municipal police departments have the records of individual crashes, not all have the technical means or abilities to compile comprehensive reports that include all crashes in their municipality, making RIDOT’s record the only statewide data resource. The group appealed to the attorney general, who said RIDOT wasn’t legally required to release the records, but urged the agency to consider whether it might be in the public interest to do so. RIDOT kept them sealed.
“When government hides information like crash data from the public, it’s not just advocates and journalists who suffer. It’s every Rhode Islander who walks, bikes, drives or relies on public transportation or emergency services. It’s every family seeking answers after a tragedy. It’s every voter trying to hold public institutions accountable,” said Dylan Giles, Providence Streets Coalition operations manager, in testimony for the bill.
For more information, contact:
Meredyth R. Whitty, Publicist
State House Room 20
Providence, RI 02903
(401) 222-1923
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