This bill creates a new rule for how the federal government distributes highway safety funding. Specifically, it requires the Secretary of Transportation to compare two types of safety funding each year: Section 402 funding (which supports state highway safety programs) and Section 405 funding (which funds specific safety initiatives like impaired driving prevention and seat belt use).

The core requirement is a "4-to-1 ratio" rule. If both types of funding increase from one year to the next, the law requires that Section 402 funding must grow at least 4 times faster than Section 405 funding. If it doesn't, the Secretary must automatically transfer money from Section 405 to Section 402 to make this happen. For example, if Section 405 funding increases by 10%, then Section 402 must increase by at least 40%, or the difference gets moved over.

There's also a protection for Section 402: if that funding decreases while Section 405 increases, the Secretary must use the Section 405 increase to bring Section 402 back up to its previous year's level, and then apply the 4-to-1 ratio rule. The law takes effect on October 1, 2026, meaning it will start affecting how federal highway safety money is distributed beginning in fiscal year 2027.