Purpose
Focuses on transportation safety in Wisconsin's tribal communities by improving data collection and analysis, safety planning, training and education outreach efforts.
Safety planning
The safety summit is a biennial event that brings together key stakeholders including the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), Indian Health Service, Wisconsin Division of Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), and tribes to identify transportation safety needs, develop solutions, and provide an opportunity for stakeholders to pool resources to address safety needs.
It Takes a Nation
Is a safety campaign that originated through the Wisconsin Department of Transportation Tribal Affairs office and the WisDOT Inter-Tribal Taskforce in 2010. A tribal transportation safety coalition was formed through partnerships with the 11 Tribes, WisDOT, Indian Health Service, Bureau of Transportation Safety, WI State Patrol, and others who created culturally relevant marketing materials to assist with a communication and outreach strategy to improve the motor vehicle crash statistics for Native Americans in Wisconsin. The initial poster was on creating awareness that motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for Native Americans in Wisconsin between the ages of 1 and 44. The first poster highlighted tribal members from many WI Tribes and portrayed Elders, youth, health professionals, law enforcement, and tribal leaders – that each of us has a responsibility to create safer tribal communities. A survey was developed and approved by the coalition for feedback on the most critical transportation safety issues facing WI tribal communities. This series of poster themes was based on the results of that survey. The most critical issues facing all 11 Tribal communities included: distracted driving, seat belt usage, and drinking and driving. The survey results were also confirmed through communication with the Tribes' law enforcement agencies, injury prevention coalitions, and EMS services. Copies of the poster were mailed to multiple tribal entities in each Tribal community (schools, administration, health centers, etc.) and distributed at Indian Summer Festival. All copyrights reserved with the Wisconsin Department of Transportation.
2017 PSA
The Wisconsin Department of Transportation in partnership with the WisDOT Inter-Tribal Task Force is excited to bring this unique media program to your community. We look forward to working with your children during our One Day Media Camp. With professional instruction students will not only learn about film creation but will create a transportation safety public service announcement (PSA) which will be shared statewide. Students will also learn about critical information regarding Native American transportation safety. Students will create the safety message, design the production and conduct the filming. The safety campaign message will contain a youth perspective about one of several safety topics which may include; distractive driving, driving under the influence or seat belt use. This will be a full day of training in creative development, audio/visual techniques, including filming, lighting, production, dialog creation, acting and other aspects of videography including editing.
Safety Education Campaign
A safe driving public service announcement (PSA) was developed by students participating in the National Summer Transportation Institute Program through the College of Menominee Nation and Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwa Community College in Wisconsin.
This campaign was developed in response to the startling data that the fatality rates among Native Americans in Wisconsin is approximately twice what it is for others in the state.
Statistical data revealed that Native Americans have the highest risk of motor vehicle related deaths of all ethnic groups. For ages 1 to 44, motor vehicle injuries are the leading cause of death. These crashes tend to be the result of young drivers, low safety belt use, impaired driving and road engineering deficiencies.
WisDOT Office of Tribal Affairs is developing a culturally tailored statewide Tribal Transportation Safety Education Campaign to increase awareness in Native American communities throughout the state of Wisconsin. The campaign will address the most critical safety concerns identified by tribes.