• Nespelem Area agency has a large number of employees and an observably high number of recreational walkers throughout the day. 

• Washington State fatalities of active transportation users have been rising at an alarming rate.  

• From 2019-2023 there were 161 American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) traffic deaths in Washington State.

  • One in four fatally injured AI/AN people were active transportation users (2019-2023).

  • 53% of AI/AN fatalities occurred in a rural setting (2019-2023).

• Active transportation users (walkers and rollers) are our most vulnerable transportation system users and they take risks which result in fatalities.

  • 122 of the 177 active transportation users' deaths (all races) in 2023 occurred on the road and not in a crosswalk.

  • 53% of the active transportation users were impaired, 18% were distracted, 12% were in the roadway improperly, 30% of the deaths were caused by improper crossing of the roadway, and 55% failed to yield the right-of-way (2023).

• Drivers involved with active transportation users' fatalities also displayed risky behavior, but at a far lesser degree.

  • 7% of drivers involved with active transportation users' deaths were impaired, 14% of the drivers were distracted, and 6% were speeding (2023).

• The severity of injuries among the active transportation users is tied to the speed of roadways when pedestrians and bicyclists share roadways with vehicles.

  • Of the 177 active transportation users' deaths, 157 occurred at speeds over 25 mph (2023).

  • 10% chance of death occurs at 23 mph compared to 50% at 42 mph, and 90% at 58 mph (NHTSA statistics).

• AI/AN have the highest traffic fatality rate per 100,000 population, and not just marginally:

  • White - 9.80 

  • Hispanic - 10.27

  • Black - 11.88

  • American Indian/Alaska Native - 37.62

The statistics above may be grossly under- or over-estimated for the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, and we will be able to bring our safety intelligence closer to reality through the data analysis we are doing at CCT DOT.

Washington State (Washington Traffic Safety Commission and Washington State Department of Transportation) tracks Washington traffic fatalities on most urban streets and some rural roadways.  Their databases are lacking data on roads other than state highways and county fatalities within the Reservation of the Colville Confederated Tribes.  CCT DOT is analyzing the previous 10 years' of State and County data (Okanogan and Ferry) to start coordination with Tribal Police about determining how best to infill our data into the State database appropriately

This is simply the first survey in Nespelem District, please look for upcoming surveys in the Keller, Inchelium, and Omak Districts this year.  CCT DOT plans to continue surveying each district with observably high recreational or commuting walkers or rollers.  These surveys will help CCT DOT and the Tribe prepare planning documents, prioritize roadway improvements, and seek funding to implement projects. 

Please do not hesitate to phone with questions (509-634-2540) or email with questions (deborah.lacombe.dot@colvilletribes.com).