In the event you determine as American Indian or Alaska Native (AI/AN), you’re greater than 3 times as more likely to be killed whereas strolling, in contrast with the common American.

By Ian Thomas

This stunning and tragic statistic was the main focus of America Walks’ July ninth webinar, throughout which tribal security, well being, planning, transportation, and group engagement consultants mentioned why pedestrian fatalities are so excessive in Indian Nation and what to do about it. This webinar launched a brand new mission funded by the Nationwide Security Council’s Highway to Zero program, wherein America Walks is partnering with the next tribal leaders and communities:

• Sheri Bozic, Director of Planning, Growth, and Transportation, Pueblo of Jemez
• Hillary Mead, Main Prevention Program Supervisor, Cherokee Nation Public Well being
• HollyAnna CougarTracks DeCoteau Littlebull, Yakama tribal chief, public security and
  planning skilled, artist, and activist
• Maja Pederson, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Public and Neighborhood Well being Sciences,
  College of Montana

All the companions besides HollyAnna Littlebull (who was busy preventing wildfires and serving to residents evacuate from areas of Yakama Nation) participated within the webinar panel, and everybody agreed that the principle purpose for the disaster of pedestrian fatalities in Indian Nation is the high-speed highways which lower by pueblos, reservations, and the city and suburban areas of cities the place many AI/AN folks reside. When a automobile strikes a pedestrian, affect pace is crucial think about figuring out whether or not or not the collision shall be deadly, and roadways in tribal communities are so typically designed for prime speeds.

Panelists spent the rest of the webinar discussing greatest practices for lowering automobile speeds, and describing particular actions they’re planning for the 12-month Highway to Zero mission.

The biggest single occasion shall be an in-person workshop and Fast-Construct mission, coordinated by Sheri Bozic and hosted within the Pueblo of Jemez, New Mexico this fall. Members from two earlier “Coverage Spherical Tables on Tribal Pedestrian Security” (a digital occasion in 2022 and an in- individual session on the 2023 Nationwide Transportation in Indian Nation Convention) shall be invited to attend and the agenda will embrace formation of the Nationwide Coalition for Tribal Pedestrian Security.

Sheri is working with the New Mexico Division of Transportation to implement a Fast-Construct visitors calming mission on State Freeway 4, which bisects the village with a endless stream of high-speed visitors. This may signify the subsequent step within the Pueblo of Jemez’ Secure Transportation Initiative, following the identification of issues in a 2007 Highway Security Audit, building of a pedestrian path alongside Freeway 4 which is at present nearing completion, and a latest Fast-Construct mission on one of many village roads.

A workgroup led by Hillary Mead (Cherokee Nation Public Well being) will develop schooling and coaching supplies centered on tribal pedestrian security. Constructing on an current Secure Routes to Faculty mission supported by Oklahoma State College’s Excessive Weight problems Program, tales shall be gathered from tribal members (kids and adults) who stroll alongside high-speed roadways every single day, as a primary step. In the end, a useful resource library of truth sheets, public consciousness campaigns, technical toolkits, pattern insurance policies, and coaching packages for communities and professionals shall be developed.

Working with the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes of the Flathead Nation, Maja Pedersen will lead an indication mission to heart underrepresented voices in transportation planning, utilizing the Stanford Our Voice public engagement instrument. This community-based, participatory analysis course of will make sure that the lived expertise of these most impacted by unsafe roadways is the place to begin for efforts to determine social and constructed atmosphere elements referring to pedestrian security amongst AI/AN older adults, thereby resulting in efficient methods to mitigate the hurt.

Within the spring of 2025, tribal pedestrian security workshops and Fast-Construct visitors calming tasks shall be applied in partnership with the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes and with Cherokee Nation. And, lastly, the Our Voice instrument shall be used to judge the success of all the instructional and constructed atmosphere interventions in these tribal communities.

Take a look at the complete recording of the webinar: