There are 574 federally recognized American Indian tribes and Alaska Native Villages in the United States today, while Canada recognizes over 630 First Nations communities. Legally deemed sovereign nations, tribes in the U.S. can establish their own traffic laws, road safety measures and transportation infrastructure on tribal lands.

This serves three major purposes. First, Indigenous nations use roadway governance as an expression of self-rule and cultural preservation. Secondly, because many tribal areas are remote, local control over road systems allows for quicker response to community needs. And third, tribes can implement laws that align with their traditional practices or address unique community concerns.

Unfortunately, road safety on these lands has long been a concern. American Indian and Alaska Native people had a traffic fatality rate of 28.5 per 100,000, a rate that’s more than 10 higher than any other demographic, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation. Since tribal communities also report higher-than-average crash rates, jurisdictions across North America are working toward a solution. In partnership with tribal authorities, many jurisdictions are helping to improve road safety through collaborative initiatives, improved data-sharing efforts and culturally sensitive engagement.

The Challenge: A Disproportionate Risk on Tribal Roads

Across North America, tribal communities experience disproportionately high rates of traffic-related fatalities and injuries.

“When we’re looking at different populations that have been overrepresented in these fatalities, sovereign nations and tribal communities far surpass any other population,” says Tara Casanova Powell, CEO of the Association of Transportation Safety Information Professionals.

Many factors contribute to this heightened risk, according to Casanova Powell, including inadequate infrastructure, lack of access to emergency services and an increased presence of mixed-use roadways where pedestrians, cyclists and motor vehicles share the same space.

“When we’re looking at different populations that have been overrepresented in these fatalities, sovereign nations and tribal communities far surpass any other population.”

Tara Casanova Powell, CEO, Association of Transportation Safety Information Professionals

“We analyzed collision data and found a lot of collisions occurring near First Nations,” says Yadili Okwumabua-Gbakima, supervisor of Road Safety Programs, Manitoba Public Insurance, Canada. “Compared to the rest of the province, the proportion of collision fatalities in and around First Nations is substantially higher.”

Alarmingly, she says that pedestrians made up a substantial percentage of these fatalities, often due to low visibility and limited pedestrian infrastructure.

The Complexity of Governance and Data Collection

Jurisdictions working with tribal authorities must often navigate complex governance structures. As sovereign nations, each tribe has its own set of rules.

“Every tribe’s a little bit different,” says Andrea Bill, associate director of the Eastern Tribal Technical Assistance Program. “It really depends on their background and whether they operate under Public Law 280 or not.” (Public Law 280 gives certain states the ability to oversee jurisdiction in criminal and civil matters on tribal land.)

Some tribes maintain their own crash databases, she says, while others share data with state or federal agencies, which creates inconsistencies in the available traffic safety data.

“Some tribes have more advanced data systems and can share their data with the state or federal agencies. But there are still some tribes that don’t collect data on some driving offenses on their roads,” Casanova Powell says.

This inconsistency makes it difficult to assess safety risks and apply for funding to address infrastructure deficiencies.

Building Trust Through Collaboration

Recognizing the urgent need for improved road safety, organizations and government agencies have taken steps to build partnerships with tribal communities. A critical aspect of this work is earning the trust of tribal authorities.

“The biggest thing is listening,” Bill says. “There are things that have gone back and forth for many, many years. Any idea we come up with is probably something they’ve already thought about and tried to do.”

In her initial approach to a tribe, Casanova Powell says that she lets them do the talking.

“We ask, ‘What do you need? How can we help you?’ I’m not here to tell the tribes what they need—I have no idea what they need,” she says. “I need them to tell me.”

This approach of mutual respect and active listening has also helped open doors to cooperation across Canada.

“One of the big things that I can say is that we are really trying to look at how we can serve all Manitobans—including First Nations citizens,” Okwumabua-Gbakima says. “Historically, Indigenous communities have been underserved, if served at all.”

Initiatives Driving Change

Over the last decade, various programs have emerged to improve road safety in tribal areas. In Wisconsin, Bill’s team worked to integrate tribal crash data into a statewide mapping system.

“We built trust step by step,” she says. “Eventually, we got to a place where our crashes are almost all geolocated—over 90% are mapped correctly. Now, tribes can use this data to apply for funding.”

In Manitoba, Okwumabua-Gbakima says that a focus on community engagement has led to some targeted safety interventions.

“Following a review of collision data and discussions with stakeholders, we found that a lot of First Nations youth were using off-road vehicles as their primary mode of transportation,” she says. “We recognized the need to partner with First Nations and Indigenous communities in ensuring youth had access to ATV and snowmobile education and safety equipment. This initiative is allowing us to support educational presentations and distribute safety helmets to children attending the sessions.”

Another successful initiative in Manitoba involved distributing high-visibility gear to pedestrians in Indigenous communities, including reflective backpacks.

“We piloted a program at Manitoba Public Insurance, in collaboration with local First Nations, where we provided 1,300 kits that included backpacks, flashing lights and warm toques [beanies], all designed for high visibility. The response was overwhelmingly positive,” Okwumabua-Gbakima says. “People appreciated that their safety was being considered
and prioritized.”

Overcoming Barriers to Progress

Despite these advancements, several hurdles remain. One of the main challenges is the reluctance of some tribes to share crash data, often due to concerns over jurisdictional overreach.

“Some grants that tribes can apply for require them to share their data,” Casanova Powell says. “However, as sovereign nations, they are not required to do so outside of grant requirements. We’ve made it clear that we are not asking them to share anything they don’t want to. Our goal is simply to help them collect the right data so they can make informed decisions.”

“A lot of these roads aren’t paved, and maintenance funding is minimal. That’s why access to accurate data is so critical—it helps justify the need for funding.”

Andrea Bill, Associate Director, Eastern Tribal Technical Assistance Program

Funding constraints are another persistent issue: Many tribal communities lack the resources to maintain roadways or implement safety measures.

“A lot of these roads aren’t paved, and maintenance funding is minimal,” Bill says. “That’s why access to accurate data is so critical—it helps justify the need for funding.”

The Path Forward

Looking ahead, Okwumabua-Gbakima, Bill and Casanova Powell all hope to expand their current initiatives and continue strengthening partnerships with tribal authorities.

“We need to keep showing up. When communicating with tribes, I let them know, ‘We’re here for you. We’ll be back.’ It’s about building relationships, not just checking a box,” Casanova Powell says.

The ultimate goal for Bill is a holistic approach to road safety that transcends jurisdictional boundaries.

“In an ideal world, we’d focus on risk factors rather than road ownership,” she says. “We need to stop seeing boundaries as barriers and instead look at how we can make all roads safer—no matter who maintains them.”

Similarly, Okwumabua-Gbakima sees continued community engagement as essential.

“We’re hoping to expand our outreach, bring more voices to the table and co-create solutions that make sense for Indigenous communities,” she says.

By working closely with tribal authorities, jurisdictions in the U.S. and Canada are taking meaningful steps toward reducing traffic fatalities and making roads safer for everyone. But there is still a lot to learn.

“We still have a long way to go,” Okwumabua-Gbakima says. “But we’re listening, working in collaboration with communities and doing our best to make the roads safer for everyone.”