Enhancing Road Safety for Native American Communities in the Northern Plains: A Research and Outreach Initiative for Safer Journeys

The goal is to continue working with National Training and Technical Assistance Partners (NTTAP), regional Local Technical Assistance Programs (LTAPS), Center for Transformative Infrastructure Preservation and Sustainability (CTIPS) partners and Transportation Research Board committees to overcome equity challenges and identify traffic safety priorities for Tribal Nations in the Northern Plains so institutional capacity can be strengthened to ensure safe journeys on tribal lands based on proactive traffic safety planning, programs, policies, and resource decisions. Objective 1: Engage with Tribal Communities to strengthen traffic safety information. Supporting tribal road inventory/maintenance, crash documentation, education, enforcement, and post-crash emergency medical services (EMS) response as essential foundation knowledge. Identify purposeful action to ensure continuity of agency commitment and community recognition of traffic safety as a priority through program documentation and succession strategies. Objective 2: Support the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Safe System approach. Community wellness and shared responsibility in safe journeys for members and guests are achieved through this holistic approach. Respecting traditional community wellness provides valuable context for exploring innovative and culturally attuned programs that provide agility to address local road safety priorities. Objective 3: Recognize and recommend ways to redress equity in well-documented disadvantaged aspects of Native American Community resource access, community connectivity, and capacity building to proactively promote and sustain safe journeys on tribal lands. Objective 4: Support development and implementation of research needs developed by Tribal governments, Tribal organizations, and Transportation Research Board Committee on Native American Transportation Issues regarding workforce needs, equity, and program delivery.