In Washington, the traffic fatality rate for Native Americans is 3.5 times higher than for everyone else. Though traffic deaths of Native Americans are decreasing, that decrease is at a slower pace than deaths of non-Native Americans.
We work with Tribal governments and state agencies to reduce traffic deaths and serious injuries in Indian Country and among Native Americans living throughout Washington. Our work is carried out under the Centennial Accord and within the framework of Target Zero®.
Improve awareness of and knowledge about traffic safety in Indian Country
We are advised by the Tribal Traffic Safety Advisory Board, which currently meets monthly. The Board developed culturally-relevant posters, rackcards, vinyl banners, and videos about the top five factors disproportionately contributing to traffic deaths of Native people: lack of seat belt use, pedestrian safety, impaired driving, speeding, and lack of child car seat use. A Quick View of all print materials are available from the download section of this page. Posters and rackcards can be ordered from MyPrint through our Materials page. The videos can be accessed from the Links tab on this page.
A map is available in the Research and Statistics section of our website showing Traffic Deaths of Native People Compared to Other Heritages in Washington.
Support traffic safety projects for Tribal communities
We encourage Tribal governments to apply for our grants. We provide grants to Tribal law enforcement through the Northwest Association of Tribal Enforcement Officers for traffic safety education, training, and equipment.
- Recording Our Past, Protecting Our Future
- WSDOT Tribal Grants
- Seat belts video (canoeing motif)
- Seat belts video (horses motif)
- Pedestrian safety video (canoeing motif)
- Pedestrian safety video (horses motif)
- Impaired driving video (canoeing motif)
- Impaired driving video (horses motif)
- Speeding video (canoeing motif)
- Speeding video (horses motif)
- Child car seats video (canoeing motif)
- Child car seats video (horses motif)
- Traffic Safety Successes On The Colville Reservation
- Protecting Our Future
- Cradleboards — A Tradition of Safety and Security
MJ Haught – Program Manager
360.725.9879 mjhaught@wtsc.wa.gov