28th Annual International Traffic Records Forum

“Safety Programming”

28th Annual International Traffic Records Forum

“Safety Programming”

Inter Tribal Council of Arizona, Inc.Esther CorbettAugust 4, 2002

ITCA Transportation InitiativesITCA 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

1994-96 - Accidents were 1 of 5 Causes of Death for Indians

1994-96 - 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

FY 1997 – Injuries were 1 of 5 Causes of Hospitalization for Indians Indian Health Service

Phoenix Area7.7% of all discharges from IHS and Tribal direct and contract general hospitals pertained to injuries

Indian Health ServiceTucson Area

7.8% of all discharges from IHS and Tribal direct and contract general hospitals pertained to injuries

Federal Safety ProgrammingFederal 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 AffairsBureau of Indian Affairs

Transportation Program“Indian Reservation Roads”

Indian Reservation RoadsAdministrationIndian Reservation RoadsAdministration

1983 Memorandum of

Agreement

Federal Highway

Administration (FHWA)

Federal Lands Highway

Program (FLHP)

Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA)

Indian Reservation RoadsFundingIndian Reservation RoadsFunding

USDOT funds Formula based FHWA

FLHOBIA Division of Transportation

– 12 BIA Regional Offices Western Regional Office

Arizona

Nevada

Utah

Indian Reservation Roads Eligible ActivitiesIndian Reservation Roads Eligible Activities

Planning

Safety

Road Construction

Transit

Indian Reservation RoadsPlanning FundsIndian Reservation RoadsPlanning 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 RoadsEligible Safety PlanningIndian Reservation RoadsEligible 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 RoadsTribal Program ChallengesIndian Reservation RoadsTribal 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 AdministrationFederal Highway Administration

Safety Programs

FHWA Safety Programs for StatesFHWA Safety Programs for States

Surface Transportation Program (STP)Hazard Elimination ProgramTransportation Enhancement Program

State Planning and Research Program Intelligent Transportation System Integration Surface Transportation Research

FHWA Safety Programs for TribesFHWA 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 ChallengesFHWA 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

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Safety Programs

NHTSA Safety Programs for StatesNHTSA 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*

NHTSASafety Programs for TribesNHTSASafety Programs for Tribes

State and Community

Highway Safety Grants

State Highway Safety Data

Improvement Grants

Child Passenger Protection

Education Grants

NHTSATribal Program ChallengesNHTSATribal 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 fundingFY2001 Highway Safety Program $1,101,817FY2001 Occupant Protection $ 56,813FY1999 Data Improvement $ 25,000

Inadequate coordination

A Traffic Safety ResourceA Traffic Safety Resource

Pilot Tribal Highway Safety Data Improvement “Tribal Data Assessment Projects”

Data Improvement Program ObjectivesData 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 ProgramAssessment Process

Data Improvement ProgramAssessment 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 GrantsData Improvement Program Grants

TEA21 created State Highway Safety Data Improvement Grant (Section 411)

3 Phase Grant ProgramStart-up Grant

$ 25,000Initiation Grant

$125,000Implementation Grant

$225,000 All Tribes must share one grant

Data Improvement Program Funding for Tribes

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

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 programmingApril 2001 NHTSA promoted the Data

Improvement ProgramMay 2001 Road Safety & Public Health

Conference

Data Improvement Program Recruitment of Tribes

Data Improvement Program Recruitment of Tribes During June-July 2001, ITCA

recruited Tribes in Arizona to pilot the program

San Carlos Apache TribeTohono O’odham NationWhite Mountain Apache Tribe

BIA recruited tribal participation nationally

Menominee Tribe BIA recruited additional

Tribes in 2002

Data Improvement Program Tribal Assessment Schedule

Data Improvement Program Tribal Assessment Schedule

August 2001 NHTSA 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 2002 Tribes are still waiting to apply to BIA

Data Improvement Program Assessment Coordination

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, EMSTribe Courts, Law Enforcement, Planning, Game &

Fish, Health, EMS, Grantwriting, Forestry, Council committees

State Motor Vehicle, Traffic Records, District Engineers, Planning

Data Improvement ProgramTribal Assessment

Data Improvement ProgramTribal Assessment Team meets in the tribal community to interview staff

regarding 6 traffic record filesCrash fileCitation fileEmergency medical services fileRoad inventory fileVehicle fileDriver 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 ProgramAssessment Findings

Data Improvement ProgramAssessment 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 ProgramNHTSA Headquarters’ Strategy to Promote Tribal Participation

Data Improvement ProgramNHTSA Headquarters’ Strategy to Promote Tribal Participation

Outreach On-site Program promotion Consultation 2 Pre-assessment meetings with

Tribes in AZ Technical AssistanceFinancial resources Funding Tier grant structure Flexibility Staff attitude at Headquarters Creativity Non-traditional approach Advocacy NHTSA convening inter-

agency meeting on resources

Recommendations for Expanding Tribal Participation in Safety Programming

Recommendations for Expanding Tribal Participation in Safety Programming

Safety Programming Challenges for TribesSafety Programming Challenges for Tribes

Funding Administration Consultation Communication Coordination Cooperation

Suggestions for Improving Safety Programming for Tribes

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 ProgramsResources: Safety Programs

National Highway Traffic Safety Administrationwww.nhtsa.dot.gov

BIA Highway Safety Programwww.doi.gov/bia/highway_safety/index.htm

Indian Reservation Roadswww.irr.bia.gov

Federal Highway Administrationwww.fhwa.dot.gov