FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Monday, Oct. 15, 2012

CONTACT: June Hansen, 605-773-3540

                        Tribes Will Meet To Exchange Transportation Safety Improvement Ideas

MISSION, S.D. – South Dakota Indian tribes will meet Wednesday and Thursday (Oct. 17-18) at the 3^rd annual Tribal Transportation Safety Summit to exchange ideas on transportation safety improvements.  

The opening session of the summit at the Rosebud Casino and Conference Center offers South Dakota’s nine tribes an opportunity to share transportation safety best-practices or success stories. That could be a law enforcement effort, a highway safety program or some social program that is improving transportation safety on a reservation.

The summit also will focus on effective crash reporting, road safety audits, developing highway safety plans and traffic-safety programs, and resources and assistance available to tribes from various state, federal and nonprofit agencies and groups.  U.S. Sen. Tim Johnson will address the summit participants. The overall goal of the summit is to increase awareness of specific tribal transportation safety issues and gain a better understanding of the needs of each South Dakota tribe.

“The last two summits promoted important dialogue on ways to improve highway safety and the sharing of ideas between the tribes and various agencies,” said South Dakota Transportation Secretary Darin Bergquist. “I know tribal leaders are extremely concerned about traffic fatalities and highway safety. It takes all of us working together to make a difference, and I look forward to continuing our dialogue.’’

The summit runs from 10 a.m. -5 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 17, and from 8:30 a.m. to noon on Thursday, Oct. 18. Further information is available from the South Dakota Department of Transportation website http://www.sddot.com/transportation/highways/traffic/safety/Default.aspx

                                                            -30-