Disclosed embodiments include technologies for improving safety mechanisms in computer assisted and/or automated driving (CA/AD) vehicles for protecting vulnerable road users (VRUs). Embodiments include various mechanisms to enable early Responsibility Sensitive Safety (RSS) checks for the CA/AD vehicles driving policy to protect in-danger VRUs. Embodiments also include controlled forwarding mechanisms to notify other CA/AD vehicles and roadside infrastructure when a potentially dangerous situation is detected. Other embodiments are described and/or claimed.