PROGRAMS

Tribal Traffic Safety

The Washington Traffic Safety Commission Centennial Accord mission is to work proactively with tribal governments statewide to reduce deaths and injuries of Native Americans resulting from traffic crashes. 

Native Americans in Washington are dying at a rate 2.4 times higher than that of all other racial groups combined.  The primary cause of these deaths is impaired driving and speeding. These statistics become even worse if you look at them nationally.  Research indicates the death rate for Native Americans nationally can be as high as 3.5 to 5.0 times higher when compared to non-tribal members depending on the region of the country. 

To further complicate this trend, researchers and traffic safety experts agree that crash data on tribal lands is under reported, thus making these death rates even worse.  The most important aspect of this analysis is that the majority those who are dying are the tribe’s younger generation, a trend that is jeopardizing the future of tribal culture.

2007 Action Items

1. Create an Advisory Board to assist both the tribes and the Washington Traffic Safety Commission when planning and funding effective traffic safety initiatives focused on reducing traffic related deaths of Native Americans in Washington. 

Members selected:

Craig Bill - GOIA, Colleen Jollie - WSDOT, Charlene Nelson - Shoalwater Bay, Chief Tom Schlicker- Swinomish Tribal Police/NATEO, Cmdr. Mike Kessler - Colville Tribal Police, a representative from the Attorney Generals Office, Lowell Porter - WTSC, Lynn Drake - WTSC

2. Effectively invest financial resources in proven strategies and counter measures on tribal lands that will save lives and prevent injuries.

Established a Traffic Safety Task Force, Colville Reservation - $52,000.  Start Up Equipment/ Supplies. This program began October 2006, and will be funded through September of 2008. The Colville Tribe has agreed to support of this program after 2008.

Elementary School Projects: $115,000
Involved the installation of flashing lights marking elementary school zones in Colville - Keller, Tulalip, Skokomish, Colville.

Worked with WSDOT on the Safe Routes to School grants- Colville 2008 recipient.

Overtime funding for DUI enforcement and nighttime seat belt enforcement - $6,700.

Coordinated with a Lummi Tribal Enforcement Officer to attend Drug Recognition training.

Commercial Vehicle Officer trained - Colville Tribal Law Enforcement.

3. Assist in the planning and facilitating Tribal Traffic Safety/Transportation Summits each year to address behavioral and engineering traffic safety issues on tribal lands.

The second Tribal Traffic Safety Summit to be held September 12 – 13, 2007.  Estimated attendance of 60 tribal representatives - $20,000

Supported the WSDOT Tribal Transportation Conference, October 2006, $5000.  Estimated 175 attendees.

4. Provide a block grant to the Northwest Association of Tribal Enforcement Officers for law enforcement traffic safety training, equipment and enforcement initiatives.

Block Grant:  $50,000.  Equipment distributed May 2007. Program outcome data due  by September 2007.

$42,537.29 ~ Equipment costs

Radar Units - 10                                  
Child passenger safety seats - 92
Laser Radar - 1                                   
In Car Video System- 1
Pre-breath Test Units- 24                    
Stop sticks – 12 sets

5. Work to improve the collection of crash data on tribal lands.

This initiative is an on going effort. In previous years WTSC funded the purchase of computer software for the Skokomish Tribe (2004) to support increased records keeping.  The WTSC will continue to work through the Traffic Records Committee process to improve the collection of crash data on tribal lands.

6. Develop performance measures that will evaluate the progress of this initiative and create an accountability link directly to Governor Gregoire through the GMAP process.

Continue to implement proven strategies and best practices with a goal of developing performance measures for the initiatives and activities outlined above.

7. Additional Action Items

WTSC working with BIA to promote a national Native American public service announcement in Washington on impaired driving and its affects on families and tribal communities.

• WTSC Tribal Traffic Safety initiatives presented as best practices at the BIA Traffic Safety Summit in Albuquerque, New Mexico  
• Appointing a Tribal Advisory Board representative to the 2007 WTSC Grant evaluation committee.

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