OKLAHOMA CITY - Rep. Chris Banning, R Bixby, has introduced legislation aimed at improving safety for students who travel to and from school along high speed state highways.
Banning filed House Bill 2979, known as the Talyn Bain Act, which would require the Oklahoma Department of Transportation to establish reduced speed school zones on certain state highways when requested by a local government. The bill honors 9 year old Talyn Bain, who was killed in a multi vehicle traffic crash in Glenpool while on his way to school in September 2025.
The crash occurred near the intersection of state Highway 67 (151st Street) and Fern Street when a vehicle swerved to avoid a semi truck and struck multiple cars. Bain was pronounced dead at the scene. Several others, including Bain’s mother and siblings, were treated for injuries. The deadly crash prompted community calls for changes to speed limits and safety measures along the busy highway.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, thousands of pedestrians are killed in traffic crashes each year in the United States, and school aged children are at risk while traveling to and from school. The CDC reports that in 2022, more than 8,000 pedestrians died nationwide and tens of thousands were treated for injuries, highlighting the dangers students face on busy roads.
Oklahoma has seen a sharp rise in traffic dangers, according to recent reports. In 2024, traffic fatalities in Oklahoma increased by 15%. Speed-related deaths alone jumped by 11%, showing that drivers are going faster than ever on state roads.
Nationally, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that nearly 30% of all traffic deaths are caused by speeding and in school-related crashes, approximately 70% of the people killed are occupants of other vehicles, rather than students on buses.
Data also shows that the most dangerous time for students is between 3 p.m. and 3:59 p.m., which accounts for 26% of all school-day fatalities.
The Talyn Bain Act would apply to high speed state roadways that run directly alongside public or private school property and do not have adequate access roads or grade separated entrances. Under the measure, ODOT would be required to set a school zone speed limit of 45 miles per hour in qualifying areas.
Lawmakers chose the 45-mph limit because of the “survival gap.” Research from the Safe System approach shows a massive difference in crash outcomes based on speed:
• The Reaction Gap: At 65 mph (the old limit on many Oklahoma highways), a car needs the length of a football field to stop. At 45 mph, that distance is cut nearly in half.
• Survival Rates: A pedestrian hit by a car going 40 mph is eight times more likely to die than someone hit at 20 mph. While 45 mph is faster than in-town school zone speed limits, the reduced speed significantly --lowers the “impact force” compared to highway speeds.
The reduced speed limit would be enforceable during designated drop off and pick up times when flashing beacons are active, including school designated hours approved by the department. While ODOT would establish the school zone, local jurisdictions would be responsible for operating and maintaining the signs and related equipment once installed.
In Glenpool, where Bain was killed, City Manager David Tillotson reported that 15% of all local crashes happen on that single stretch of Highway 67 and that the road was “overdue for improvement.” According to Tillotson, the stretch of Highway 67 (151st Street) is a major danger zone.
ODOT data shows that Highway 67 carries thousands of vehicles every day, including heavy semi-trucks that require much longer distances to stop. Data from NHTSA shows that a car traveling at 65 mph carries more than twice the energy of a car going 45 mph. This extra energy is what makes highway-speed crashes so much more deadly for children in smaller vehicles.
Just days after the crash that killed Bain, another collision occurred at the exact same location. No one was injured in the second crash however, Glenpool Public Schools reported that a school bus was hit by debris during the fatal five-car crash. Local leaders say that “one life was too many” and that the road’s design is failing.
Banning said the legislation is intended to give communities a practical way to address safety concerns near schools located along busy highways. He said the bill is meant to honor Talyn Bain by helping prevent similar tragedies and improving protections for children traveling to and from school.
HB 2979 is eligible for consideration during the Second Regular Session of the 60th Oklahoma Legislature. If approved, the measure would take effect Nov. 1, 2026.