Tribal Pedestrian Safety: Why Is It Important?

Olivia Whiting-Tovar Oglala Sioux

Native CARS TIPCAP Coordinator, CPST

Pedestrian safety is an issue of concern for anyone who commutes or interacts with roadways, as there are many different ways to travel. Everyone deserves to have safe, accessible walkways to and from their desired destinations, whether two minutes down the street or an hour commute.

According to the Washington Traffic Safety Commission’s Coded Fatal Crash Files, since 2013, there have been 257 motor vehicle crash fatalities involving American Indians/Alaskan Natives on Tribal lands in Washington state, (see Map 1).

• 161 of those fatalities were on rural roads.

• 69 of those fatalities were pedestrian (64) and cyclist (5) fatalities; this is more than a quarter (26.69%) of the reported crash fatalities since 2013.

• Fatal crashes involving American Indian/Alaskan Native people are on an upward trend in Washington state; meaning crash rates are gradually increasing over the years, as visually demonstrated in Graph 1.

Graph 2 shows both Oregon and Washington pedestrian emergency department quarterly rates for AI/ANs and whites per 100,000 visits over the last three and a half years.

• From this graphic, we can understand that pedestrian emergency department rates for AI/AN people are higher when compared to whites, especially in Washington state.

• In Oregon and Washington, Graph 2 shows that pedestrian emergency department rates are higher for men than women.

• The graphic shows how Oregon has had its most significant peaks of pedestrian emergency department visits over the last three and a half years. Although Oregon’s rates are lower than Washington, it is not too far behind.

• Oregon has a higher male pedestrian emergency department rate than Washington. But a much lower female pedestrian emergency department rate within the last three and a half years.

The Native Child Always Ride Safer Tribal Injury Prevention Program (Native CARS TIPCAP) offers partnerships to understand and address your Tribal community’s pedestrian safety concerns. A few specific partnership activities the project offers are:

• Community pedestrian safety evaluations; a Tribal community StoryMap creation activity.

• To visually explain the locations in your community with high pedestrian and motor vehicle interaction, such as popular intersections.

• Walk Audit activities.

• To understand how accessible and walkable popular pedestrian walkways are and ways to make these walkways safer for all users.

Understanding pedestrian safety in your community is essential because change takes time, but your voice matters; as a member, you can help make meaningful changes for roadways’ most vulnerable users. All Fatal Crashes on Tribal Lands and involving AI/AN Fatalities in WA State.

Map 1: All Fatal Crashes on Tribal Lands and involving AI/AN Fatalities in WA State Source: Washington Traffic Safety Commission Coded Fatal Crash Files Dashboard, https://wtsc.wa.gov/research-data/aian-tribal-dashboard/