28 th Annual International Traffic Records Forum “Safety Programming” Inter Tribal Council of Arizona, Inc. Esther Corbett August 4, 2002

ITCA Transportation Initiatives  Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Transportation Project Pass through funds to Tribes for TANF transit  Transportation Working Group Policy Review Partnerships Programming Potential Funding

Accidents were 1 of 5 Causes of Death for Indians  Indian Health Service Phoenix Area (NV, UT, AZ, excluding Navajo and Tucson areas. Also includes Indians receiving health assistance in urban areas) 15.9% of all deaths were caused by accidents  Indian Health Service Tucson Area (Tohono O’odham Nation and Pascua Yaqui Tribe. Also includes Indians receiving health assistance in Tucson) 14.2% of all deaths were caused by accidents

FY 1997 – Injuries were 1 of 5 Causes of Hospitalization for Indians  Indian Health Service Phoenix Area 7.7% of all discharges from IHS and Tribal direct and contract general hospitals pertained to injuries  Indian Health Service Tucson Area 7.8% of all discharges from IHS and Tribal direct and contract general hospitals pertained to injuries

Federal Safety Programming  Department of Transportation : Federal Highway Administration –Arizona Department of Transportation National Highway Traffic Safety Administration –Offices of Highway Safety –BIA Highway Safety Office  Department of the Interior: Bureau of Indian Affairs –BIA Division of Transportation  12 Regional Offices  Western Regional Office (AZ, UT, NV)

Bureau of Indian Affairs Transportation Program “Indian Reservation Roads”

Indian Reservation Roads Administration  1983 Memorandum of Agreement Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Federal Lands Highway Program (FLHP) Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA)

Indian Reservation Roads Funding  USDOT funds  Formula based  FHWA FLHO BIA Division of Transportation –12 BIA Regional Offices  Western Regional Office Arizona Nevada Utah

Indian Reservation Roads Eligible Activities  Planning Safety  Road Construction  Transit

Indian Reservation Roads Planning Funds  Up to 2% of the IRR funds are reserved for planning activities  Amounts to $352,415 for the Western Region (WR) in FY2001  Supports construction, safety, and transit planning for Tribes in Arizona, Nevada and Utah  On average, 5 of 46 tribal governments in the WR may be awarded annually  Priority is provided to the Tribes who have not received planning funds in the last 5 years

Indian Reservation Roads Eligible Safety Planning  Employ a tribal transportation planner  Assist tribal representatives with travel expenses to attend transportation planning meetings, conferences and seminars  Prepare tribal applications for other transportation funds  Analyze tribal safety needs  Develop and utilize tribal safety management systems  Complete tribal safety studies

Indian Reservation Roads Tribal Program Challenges  Too few program dollars  Too few tribal transportation staff  Too many unmet planning and road construction needs  Too little program coordination

Federal Highway Administration Safety Programs

FHWA Safety Programs for States  Surface Transportation Program (STP) Hazard Elimination Program Transportation Enhancement Program  State Planning and Research Program  Intelligent Transportation System Integration  Surface Transportation Research

FHWA Safety Programs for Tribes  No safety-related programs, equal to the state programs, exist in the BIA system for Tribes  Tribes may participate in the state programs, if they compete with the local governments for safety research and program funds

FHWA Tribal Program Challenges  Direct funding not available to Tribes  Insufficient outreach to create awareness of safety resources  Partial recruitment of tribal safety projects  Limited utilization of the funding process, because most state projects are prioritized by the local governments  Match requirements

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Safety Programs

NHTSA Safety Programs for States  State and Community Highway Safety Grants *  Use of Safety Belts and Motorcycle Helmets  Safety Incentive Grants for Use of Seat Belts  Alcohol Impairing Driving Countermeasures  Safety Incentives to Prevent Operation of Motor Vehicles by Intoxicated Drivers  Occupant Protection Incentive Grants  Open Container Requirements  Incentive Grant for Alcohol Impaired Driving Prevention Programs  Child Passenger Protection Education Grants *  State Highway Safety Data Improvement Grants *

NHTSA Safety Programs for Tribes  State and Community Highway Safety Grants  State Highway Safety Data Improvement Grants  Child Passenger Protection Education Grants

NHTSA Tribal Program Challenges  Limited tribal eligibility for safety initiatives  Complicated administration of the tribal safety programs. Secretary of the Interior is the designated Governor for the State (of 558+ Indian Nations) DOI Governor’s Office of Safety is BIA (Highway Safety Office)  Insufficient funding FY2001 Highway Safety Program $1,101,817 FY2001 Occupant Protection $ 56,813 FY1999 Data Improvement $ 25,000  Inadequate coordination

A Traffic Safety Resource Pilot Tribal Highway Safety Data Improvement “Tribal Data Assessment Projects”

Data Improvement Program Objectives  Develop and operate a safety management system to control traffic-related injuries  Plan safety programs  Identify safety problems  Track safety trends  Implement and evaluate highway safety countermeasures

Data Improvement Program Assessment Process  NHTSA assembles a peer team from disciplines, such as EMS, engineering, law enforcement, safety  Team conducts interviews to evaluate the existing data management system  Team determines the effectiveness of the system to identify highway safety problems and solutions  Team documents approaches to improve the system

Data Improvement Program Grants  TEA21 created State Highway Safety Data Improvement Grant (Section 411)  3 Phase Grant Program Start-up Grant $ 25,000 Initiation Grant $125,000 Implementation Grant $225,000  All Tribes must share one grant

Data Improvement Program Funding for Tribes  In FY1999, NHTSA awarded BIA a $25,000 “Start-up Grant” to assist 558 Tribes with traffic record assessments  BIA is not eligible to apply for an “Initiation Grant” until the Tribe(s) complete traffic record assessment(s)

Data Improvement Program Introduction to Tribes  ITCA sponsored forums to introduce Tribes to safety programming February 2001 ADOT, BIA, FHWA, GOHS, IHS, Kimley-Horn presented federal and state safety programming April 2001NHTSA promoted the Data Improvement Program May 2001 Road Safety & Public Health Conference

Data Improvement Program Recruitment of Tribes  During June-July 2001, ITCA recruited Tribes in Arizona to pilot the program San Carlos Apache Tribe Tohono O’odham Nation White Mountain Apache Tribe  BIA recruited tribal participation nationally Menominee Tribe  BIA recruited additional Tribes in 2002

Data Improvement Program Tribal Assessment Schedule  August 2001NHTSA Pre-Assessment meetings with 3 Tribes in Arizona  October 2001 NHTSA Assessments with the San Carlos Apache Tribe and the Tohono O’odham Nation  November 2001 NHTSA Assessments with the Menominee Tribe and White Mountain Apache Tribe  January 2002 BIA and State grant applications due  May 2002Tribes are still waiting to apply to BIA

Data Improvement Program Assessment Coordination  Multiple jurisdictions and agencies collect tribal traffic data  Essential to coordinate with multiple departments BIA Regional Road Department, Regional Law Enforcement, Agency Road Maintenance IHS Injury Prevention, Environmental Health, EMS Tribe Courts, Law Enforcement, Planning, Game & Fish, Health, EMS, Grantwriting, Forestry, Council committees StateMotor Vehicle, Traffic Records, District Engineers, Planning

Data Improvement Program Tribal Assessment  Team meets in the tribal community to interview staff regarding 6 traffic record files Crash file Citation file Emergency medical services file Road inventory file Vehicle file Driver license file  Team debriefs tribal staff on the assessment findings  Team prepares a report for the Tribes to use in safety planning and grantwiritng

Data Improvement Program Assessment Findings  Too early in the process to have finalized approaches for 3 Tribes in Arizona  The results will assist the tribal reps to develop a comprehensive plan to initiate data management improvements  “Initiation Grant” will provided the necessary funds to institute the tribal data plans

Data Improvement Program NHTSA Headquarters’ Strategy to Promote Tribal Participation  OutreachOn-site Program promotion  Consultation 2 Pre-assessment meetings with Tribes in AZ  Technical AssistanceFinancial resources  Funding Tier grant structure  Flexibility Staff attitude at Headquarters  CreativityNon-traditional approach  Advocacy NHTSA convening inter- agency meeting on resources

Recommendations for Expanding Tribal Participation in Safety Programming

Safety Programming Challenges for Tribes  Funding  Administration  Consultation  Communication  Coordination  Cooperation

Suggestions for Improving Safety Programming for Tribes  Authorize tribal eligibility and funding for more safety programs  Develop tribal safety programs in coordination with Tribes, and federal and state agencies  Share programming and application information/ schedules with Tribes on a timely basis  Provide technical assistance to Tribes for safety grant development

Resources: Safety Programs  National Highway Traffic Safety Administration  BIA Highway Safety Program  Indian Reservation Roads  Federal Highway Administration