This is about protesters who illegally abstruct the highways, and subsequently get hit by cars because they’re being idiots. The drivers are not at fault if they hit a person who shouldn’t be out on the road like that.
There have also been cases of people ramming cars into protesters. This law means anyone who gets hit in that situation has to prove the driver intended to hit them, rather than the driver having to prove the protester was unavoidable. The switch in burden is significant.
This does sound like a reasonable issue, and I was unaware that intent-based hits have been occurring.
Now, I don’t think people should hit protesters on the road, but it’s the fault of the protester that they’re out there on the road illegally.
Right of way isn’t a death penalty affair. You drive, you avoid obstacles.
I think a big issue is that some people are so stupid that they think it’s a good idea to protest in the middle of a highway, and especially those who don’t get out of the way when a car isn’t slowing down.