ATTACHMENT A

Table of Contents

Arkansas FY24-26 Triennial Highway Safety Plan 2

Sections Page # Section 1 – Highway Safety Planning Process and Problem Identification

1.1 Highway Safety Planning & Problem Identification Process 3

Section 2 – Public Participation and Engagement

2.1 Comprehensive Public Participation & Engagement 11

2.2 Profile of Arkansas’ Growing Hispanic Population 26

2.3 Resource Collaboration 28

2.4 Coordination of THSP and SHSP 30

Section 3 – Performance Plan

3.1 FY24-26 Performance Measures/Targets 31

3.2 Performance Plan Chart 38

Section 4 – Countermeasure Strategy for Programming Funds

4.1 Occupant Protection 41

4.2 Impaired Driving 52

4.3 Speed 65

4.4 Distracted Driving 70

4.5 Motorcycle Safety 76

4.6 Young Driver Safety 79

4.7 Pedestrian / Bicycle Safety 82

4.8 Traffic Records 87

4.9 Roadway Safety 91

4.10 Planning and Administration 94

Section 5 – Performance Report

5.1 Grant Program Activity Reporting 96

5.2 Target Progress from Previous Year 97

Section 6 – Reference Charts and Information

6.1 Estimated 3-Year Funding Allocation by Planned Activity 99

6.2 High Five Survey Results 100

6.3 STEP Survey Results 101

6.4 Mini-STEP Survey Results 108

6.5 General Agreement Survey Results 112

6.6 2022 Teen Leadership Conference Evaluation Summary 115

6.7 ACH – Wilder Collaboration Factors Inventory Results 116

6.8 Data Used for High Five Selection 118

6.9 Overrepresented Population Data by County 120

6.10 ACHI Analysis: Arkansas Pedestrian Fatalities, By Race, 2016-2021 122

6.11 Natural Wonders Partnership Council July 28, 2023, Meeting Feedback 123

Section 1.1 - Highway Safety Planning & Problem Identification Process

Arkansas FY24-26 Triennial Highway Safety Plan 3

Title 23 U.S.C. Section 402 requires each state to have a highway safety program sponsored by the U.S.

Secretary of Transportation and for which the Governor of the state shall be responsible. In Arkansas, the Governor has designated the Secretary of the Department of Public Safety as the Governor’s Highway Safety Representative for the state and has established the Arkansas State Police, Highway Safety Office or Arkansas Highway Safety Office (AHSO) as the state highway safety agency.

The purpose of the highway safety program is to provide a coordinated federal state and local effort to reduce traffic-related deaths, injuries, and property damage crashes.

The AHSO analyzes historical crash data for 5-10 preceding years along with current crash data to determine traffic fatality and injury trends. Basic crash data are obtained from National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) data which includes annual tabulations of statewide fatality counts for FARS based core performance measures (e.g., total traffic fatalities; speed-related fatalities; fatalities from alcohol impaired driving crashes (BAC of 0.08% plus); and unrestrained passenger vehicle fatalities. Data reflecting the number of serious injuries in traffic crashes is obtained from Arkansas’ electronic crash reporting system (eCrash) which compiles data from crash reports filed by local law enforcement agencies and the Arkansas State Police. Citation and conviction data are gathered from agency reports and the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration’s Driver Services. Statewide demographics, vehicle miles traveled, and statewide observational safety belt use surveys were also evaluated along with census data to identify underserved and overrepresented populations.

Public Participation & Engagement has been and continues to be an important part of constructing effective traffic safety programs based on the needs of disproportionately affected communities impacted by traffic crashes that result in injuries and fatalities. The Arkansas Highway Safety Office is building on its community engagement process by soliciting additional feedback from stakeholders, grantees, community groups and organizations. Surveys and questionnaires were developed and distributed for use by existing projects to obtain feedback on project effectiveness and to solicit feedback from the target populations of those projects. These surveys will provide information on how programming efforts can be improved to better serve existing program areas and expanded to additional locations that have been identified as problematic. AHSO staff has identified coalitions and community organizations in affected areas and begun attending meetings, providing educational information, and making presentations. The Natural Wonders Partnership Council (NWPC) is one of these

Arkansas FY24-26 Triennial Highway Safety Plan 4 coalitions with representation from diverse child health organizations, nonprofits, agencies, and funders (membership list at the end of Section 6.11) that work together to address the changing health needs of Arkansans. The Council has a statewide membership with groups and organizations located in targeted counties The NWPC was a logical starting place for AHSO as the council’s strategy involves building on the momentum of engaged communities. They are a natural partner of the HSO since the coalition is based in Pulaski County and with the majority of the organization membership’s agencies headquartered in Pulaski County and operating across the state (see chart at the bottom of page 14).

The AHSO will use information gathered from surveys and participation in “community conversations” with coalitions and community work groups to provide insight on the need for and type of new programming efforts required to address traffic safety issues and communities identified as underserved and overrepresented.

In addition to traffic safety problems directly identifiable and measurable by crash and other traffic safety data, additional problems/deficiencies were identified through programmatic reviews and assessments. For example, deficiencies in the traffic records system cannot be ascertained from crash data analysis. Nevertheless, it is important that such problems be alleviated, as doing so can have a significant traffic safety program benefit.

Per NHTSA requirements targets have been set and programming plans established to address Arkansas’ Highway safety issues based on data provided by the Arkansas Center for Health Improvement and the Arkansas SWOT Analysis

Arkansas’ Performance Plan and Highway Safety Plan will focus on these identified areas. Targets are based on information derived from 5 year rolling averages utilizing current FARS data in conjunction with National Safety Council (NSC) and eCrash data which the Arkansas Department of Transportation (ARDOT) has “cleaned up” to delete duplicates errors etc., and in consideration of internal and external factors, guidelines from NHTSA and Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), meetings with collaborating agencies, community outreach efforts, input from staff at the ARDOT, other stakeholders and recommendations of AHSO staff.

Crash Analysis - Analysis of crashes, crash fatalities, and injuries in areas of highest risk.

STEP projects will include high visibility and sustained enforcement of impaired driving, occupant protection and speed limit laws by approximately 36 local law enforcement agencies and the Arkansas State Police. A

66 64

33%

26% 24%

13% 11%

11%

7%

1% 0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

200 Average Yearly Fatalities and Percentage of All Fatalities (2017- 2021)

Avg Yearly Fatalities % of All Fatalities

Arkansas FY24-26 Triennial Highway Safety Plan 5 continuing initiative is focused on 50+ smaller law enforcement agencies that will be participating in mini- STEP grants. These grants fund overtime enforcement and/or equipment to agencies that participate in national safety campaigns and state mobilizations, targeted media, including paid television, radio, billboards, and internet will support these campaigns, which include Click It or Ticket (CIOT) and Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over (DSOGPO).

Data for Arkansas, (based on the 5-year period 2018-2022) shows the number of fatalities at 520 in 2018 and 644 for 2022. The fatality rate per 100 MVMT also shows an increase from 1.418 (2018) to 1.677 (2022).

Serious injuries (2’s only) increased from 2,272 in 2018 to 2,694 in 2022.

An average of 605 motorists loses their lives and another 2,532 are seriously injured each year on Arkansas’s roadways. Preliminary data for 2022 shows fatalities at 644. Over the past five years, alcohol-related fatalities averaged 146.4 per year. In 2022, 165 alcohol-related (involving a driver or motorcycle operator at .08 BAC or above) fatalities were reported – 25.6% of the total fatalities.

A major area of concern continues to be the relatively low seat belt use rate in the state. In 2017, there were 374 passenger vehicle occupant fatalities. Of these fatalities, 180 or 48.1% were unrestrained. In 2021 Arkansas’s Seat Belt use rate was 84.2%. There were 228 unrestrained fatalities in 2021 and 448 passenger vehicle fatalities or 50.9%. The use rate decreased to 79.1% in 2022. Preliminary results of the 2023 Seat Belt Survey appear to show some improvement, but Arkansas is still a long way from the 2022 NHTSA National Occupant Protection use rate (NOPUS) of 91.6%.

If the State is to increase seat belt use, law enforcement agencies must make seat belt enforcement a priority.

During FY23, approximately 150 agencies participated in CIOT including STEP, Mini-STEP, and volunteer agencies. The AHSO in-house Law Enforcement Liaison (LEL) retired in October of 2021 and since that time

County 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 Total Pulaski 60 70 62 81 70 343 10.10%

Benton 15 18 23 35 35 126 5.05%

Scott 10 7 15 15 29 76 4.18%

Washington 24 18 21 28 29 120 4.18%

Garland 13 18 21 18 23 93 3.32%

Faulkner 19 21 4 15 21 80 3.03%

Independence 6 7 11 17 20 61 2.89%

Sevier 14 15 9 15 20 73 2.89%

White 10 7 14 20 20 71 2.89%

Craighead 17 18 18 20 19 92 2.74%

County 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 Total Pulaski 367 290 302 397 367 1,723 71.82% Washington 154 155 155 142 151 757 29.55% Benton 151 143 119 151 139 703 27.20% Craighead 109 113 177 116 123 638 24.07% Saline 80 66 75 76 100 397 19.57% Garland 118 105 132 97 95 547 18.59% Faulkner 89 67 65 87 91 399 17.81% White 73 72 47 57 72 321 14.09% Pope 67 59 57 49 70 302 13.70% Lonoke 67 40 51 56 69 283 13.50%

Fatalities: Arkansas Top 10 Counties % of 2021 Total 693

Serious Injuries: Arkansas Top 10 Counties % of 2021 Total 2,792

Arkansas FY24-26 Triennial Highway Safety Plan 6 there has been a drop in the number of participating agencies. The AHSO obtained approval this June for a full time LEL position and hope to fill that position in 2023.

Despite a decline in the number of agencies participating in STEP and Mini-STEP programs and a decrease in enforcement due to the COVID Pandemic and other issues, the outlook is optimistic about increasing enforcement efforts. In FY24-26 communication will be a priority through hosting an Annual Coordinator’s Conference, and regional “Lunch and Learns” with a concentrated focus on recruiting agencies to expand enforcement and education efforts in areas with high crash rates and low seat belt use rates. LEL duties will include soliciting non-STEP agencies to voluntarily participate in mobilizations or apply for mini-STEP grants. STEP and Mini-STEP grants provide funds to pay for overtime enforcement and/or equipment.

Law enforcement agencies will be encouraged to involve and inform the media during special enforcement events. The national tagline of “Click It or Ticket” will be used in efforts to promote occupant protection. To promote the use of safety belts and support NHTSA’s “Click It or Ticket” national mobilization and the state’s two-week STEP effort, CJRW, Arkansas’s advertising agency of record will secure paid media per NHTSA’s pre-determined media timeline for the campaign.

The Click It or Ticket (CIOT) Campaign has been instrumental in raising the adult seat belt use rate and will continue to play an important part in Arkansas’ efforts to increase the state’s usage rate. The projects mentioned above, along with the CIOT program, will continue to be an integral part of the FY24 Triennial Highway Safety Plan (THSP). Efforts in FY24-26 will include emphasis on increasing total enforcement efforts, the number of agencies participating and encouraging agencies outside of STEP to address seat belt enforcement at a much higher level. The AHSO will also develop media ads and other materials designed to raise awareness about the dangers of leaving children unattended in vehicles to be used starting with the Click It or Ticket campaign and throughout the summer.

The AHSO also recognizes the significance and impact that motorcycle related crashes are having on the overall fatality picture in Arkansas. Between 2017-2021 motorcycle fatalities accounted for approximately 13 percent of Arkansas’ total traffic fatalities. In 2017 this number stood at 69 and increased to 96 in 2021. There were 377 motorcycle involved traffic fatalities in Arkansas during the 5-year period 2017-2021. A universal helmet law is recognized as the single most effective way for states to save lives in motorcycle crashes, but Arkansas does not have a Helmet law for those over age 21.

In FY24-26, AHSO will contract with Alliance to attend a minimum of 20 days of motorcycle rallies, and 10 different rally events each year. Alliance will utilize an updated public opinion survey at motorcycle rallies to determine the most critical traffic safety issues, from the perspective of the community, that the AHSO needs to address. Other planned efforts include working with the Arkansas Department of Finance & Administration (ADF&A) to distribute motorcycle endorsement envelope stuffers, a project which began in FY 23, to provide information on registration, licensing, and training opportunities.

The AHSO is working with local STEP and Mini-STEP agencies to utilize the Arkansas Crash Analytics Tool (ACAT) which displays crash locations on the Towards Zero Deaths (TZD) website online maps. These maps pinpoint high crash areas and road segments and assist local and statewide agencies to better target enforcement efforts. 97% of Arkansas’ law enforcement agencies utilize the AR eCrash system which has significantly improved crash reporting and agency access to information. The long-term goal is to have 100% participation in eCrash/eCite and to develop a comprehensive traffic safety program in each geographical area.

The AHSO is collaborating with partners to encourage seat belt use, develop relevant information materials and implement evidence-based prevention activities statewide. From 2019 thru 2021, approximately 64.3 percent

Arkansas FY24-26 Triennial Highway Safety Plan 7 of fatalities were in rural areas of the state. During the triennial period, the AHSO plans to expand its initial “High Five” demonstration project targeting rural counties (See Section 6.8 for information used to select demonstration counties). Based on higher fatality rates, low belt use and overrepresented populations, an additional 5 rural counties will be identified each year to participate in this project. This project will increase enforcement efforts, and public education and information to raise seat belt use rates. In addition, the AHSO will continue its partnership with ARDOT to conduct road assessments and identify infrastructure issues in these targeted rural communities.

In each year of FY24-26 Arkansas’ Highway Safety Office will issue sub-grants to 100+ agencies and courts statewide to target Highway Safety issues. Agencies include state, county, and municipal law enforcement agencies in urban and rural locations. Other sub-grantees include, but are not limited to, the Arkansas Department of Transportation, Administrative Office of the Courts, University of Arkansas System, Arkansas Department of Health, Arkansas Children’s Hospital and the Black River Technical College Law Enforcement Training Academy. The AHSO will continue to focus on creating aggressive, innovative and well publicized enforcement in conjunction with educational programs and an increased focus on community engagement and feedback.

The AHSO has partnered with the Department of Civil Engineering (CVEG) at the University of Arkansas (UA) to conduct a Safety Awareness Survey. The 2023 survey will differ from the previous 2018 survey in two key areas. First, the 2023 survey will be conducted as a paper-based survey that will include an option for online completion. The 2018 survey was conducted as a phone interview. Second, the 2023 survey will target

1 Lawrence 54.0 26 Miller 29.4 51 Baxter 20.3

2 Monroe 52.2 27 Hempstead 28.5 52 Columbia 20.0

3 Calhoun 49.9 28 Carroll 28.4 53 Arkansas 19.7

4 Searcy 48.3 29 Scott 28.2 54 Johnson 19.3

5 Newton 46.3 30 Randolph 28.2 55 Garland 18.7

6 Montgomery 42.2 31 Van Buren 27.8 56 White 18.4

7 St. Francis 40.6 32 Cross 27.2 57 Dallas 18.1

8 Fulton 39.8 33 Madison 26.7 58 Greene 18.0

9 Prairie 38.5 34 Ouachita 26.2 59 Izard 17.6

10 Franklin 38.5 35 Conway 26.1 60 Mississippi 17.5

11 Clark 38.0 36 Phillips 26.0 61 Pulaski 17.4

12 Nevada 36.0 37 Union 26.0 62 Desha 17.3

13 Sharp 36.0 38 Perry 25.9 63 Lincoln 16.8

14 Bradley 35.9 39 Crittenden 25.2 64 Craighead 16.7

15 Grant 34.6 40 Lee 24.9 65 Crawford 15.9

16 Cleburne 33.8 41 Sevier 24.9 66 Pope 15.8

17 Poinsett 32.7 42 Jackson 24.9 67 Lonoke 14.6

18 Independence 32.3 43 Boone 24.6 68 Faulkner 13.0

19 Cleveland 31.4 44 Stone 24.3 69 Woodruff 12.6

20 Clay 31.4 45 Drew 24.0 70 Lafayette 12.6

21 Chicot 30.8 46 Polk 23.6 71 Saline 12.4

22 Yell 30.3 47 Ashley 22.7 72 Pike 11.7

23 Hot Spring 30.2 48 Logan 22.5 73 Sebastian 11.4

24 Little River 29.7 49 Marion 21.5 74 Washington 9.9

25 Howard 29.5 50 Jefferson 21.4 75 Benton 9.0 per ACHI Rural Health Insites, May 2020

Urban Counties

Annual Average Roadway Fatality Rate per 100K Residents, by County 2017 - 2021

Rural Counties

Arkansas FY24-26 Triennial Highway Safety Plan 8 a sample with wider representation from the Arkansas population. The 2018 survey estimated weights based on 7 age-groups (16 to 20 years of age, 21 to 25, 26 to 34, 35 to 44, 45 to 54, 55 to 64, and 65+) and two gender categories. The 2023 survey will gather sociodemographic and geographic data to potentially produce more detailed weighting procedures for a more representative survey that will provide the AHSO with information on the effectiveness of its safety campaigns and activities.

Plans are in place to host an Arkansas Traffic Safety conference every May starting in May 2024. The conference will be designed to incorporate discussions on innovations around the country. Emphasis will be placed on community input and involvement to increase the effectiveness of Arkansas’ Highway Safety program efforts. Regional “Lunch and Learns” will also be held periodically throughout the year. These “Lunch and Learn” events will focus on the problem areas identified in the AR Data Deep Dive with underserved or overrepresented populations and on recruiting agencies not currently participating in STEP or Mini-STEP programs.

The AHSO evidence-based (E-BE) traffic safety enforcement program is focused on preventing traffic crashes and crash-related fatalities and injuries. Analysis of Arkansas’ crashes, crash fatalities and serious injuries were extracted from Arkansas State Traffic Records Data (eCrash), Arkansas Crash Analytics Tool (ACAT) and FARS. This information was supplemented with the data analysis conducted by the Arkansas Center for Health Improvement for the AR Data Deep Dive. Utilizing this data, priority areas have been identified to implement proven enforcement activities. Arkansas’s E-BE is implemented through deployment of its resources in these areas throughout the year and mobilizing the entire state during the “Click It or Ticket” (CIOT) mobilizations and “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” (DSOGPO) crackdowns. At the conclusion of these events the enforcement efforts are analyzed so that adjustments can be made to the E-BE going forward.

The AHSO utilizes projects for selective overtime enforcement efforts in the areas of alcohol, speed, distracted driving, and Occupant Protection. Funding assistance will be awarded to law enforcement agencies statewide with a special focus on priority areas identified in the AR Data Deep Dive analysis. Additional projects will target priority areas with public information and education for specific dates and times of enforcement efforts.

Agencies are recruited to participate in national and statewide mobilizations and crackdowns. FY24-26 Mobilizations will include the following:

FY24 – FY26 Mobilizations Mobilizations Timeline of High Visibility Enforcement

State Distracted Driving Mobilization 1-week mid-October

Arkansas FY24-26 Triennial Highway Safety Plan 9

State Seat Belt Mobilization 1 week, the week of Thanksgiving National Winter DWI Mobilization 2 weeks, ending New Years Day coordinated by NHTSA State St. Patrick’s Day DWI Mobilization 3 to 5 days around St. Patrick’s Day State Distracted Driving Mobilization 1-week, Early April 420 Campaign 3 to 5 days including April 20th, coordinated by NHTSA Region 7 National Memorial Day Seat Belt Mobilization 2 weeks, including Memorial Day Weekend, coordinated by NHTSA State July 4th Holiday DWI Mobilization 1 week, the week of July 4th State Speed Mobilization 2 to 3 weeks the end of July National Labor Day DWI Mobilization 3 weeks including Labor Day, coordinated by NHTSA

Checkpoints and Saturation patrols will be conducted at least four nights during National DWI mobilizations.

Who, what, when, where and why are used to determine where to direct resources for the greatest impact. Data is broken down by type of crash, i.e., speed, alcohol, restraint usage, impaired driving etc. Arkansas’s fatal, and serious injury crash data is utilized to determine priority areas and provide direction on how to make the greatest impact.

The enforcement program is implemented by awarding selective traffic enforcement overtime grants to law enforcement agencies in these priority areas. Funding for overtime salaries and traffic related equipment is eligible for reimbursement. Agencies applying for funding assistance for selective overtime enforcement are encouraged to do problem identification within their city or county to determine when and where to conduct enforcement for the greatest impact. Other components of these awards include PI&E and required activity reporting. The enforcement program includes statewide enforcement efforts for mobilizations and crackdowns which involve extensive national and state media campaigns. Agencies will be encouraged to increase participation for the 420 Campaign this year.

All law enforcement working alcohol and seat belt selective overtime must provide proof of successful completion of the Standardized Field Sobriety Testing (SFST) training and Traffic Occupant and Protection Strategies (TOPS) training.

AHSO conducted surveys of all Sub-Contractor Projects for FY2023 (in LR/NLR, Northwest AR, and Rural counties) to assess feedback and interactions they were getting from their local communities. They reported the following feedback:

Positive community feedback Citizens extremely supportive of the Distracted Driving, Speed, and DWI Enforcements.

Lots of positive feedback on Facebook posts and DWI checkpoints.

Citizens appreciate the extra officers on the street. They recognize that many crimes may have been prevented because those persons decided to go somewhere else due to the officers being seen on duty.

Would like to see more “Checkpoints and Saturations” Distracted Driving/Impaired Driving More Distracted Driving information and awareness Outreach efforts More Speed Mobilizations More education for youth on Distracted Driving/Seat Belts

The AHSO monitors and assesses each of the selective traffic enforcement overtime grants upon receipt of the activity report and reimbursement request and adjustments are made as needed. Seat Belt survey results along with performance standards results (officer violator contacts/stops and arrests per hour) are evaluated to adjust enforcement strategies and determine future awards. Adjustments to enforcement plans continue throughout the year. The AHSO staff reviews the results of each activity/mobilization. Likewise, state, local and county law enforcement agencies work with their program managers to review their activity and jurisdictional crash data

Arkansas FY24-26 Triennial Highway Safety Plan 10 on a regular basis. Based upon these reviews, continuous follow-up and timely adjustments are made to enforcement plans to improve sustained and High Visibility Enforcement (HVE) effectiveness.

Deployment of Resources

The Arkansas Highway Safety Office considers safety issues by focusing on behavioral aspects at the driver level. The goal is to reduce highway fatalities by better identifying driver behaviors that cause fatal crashes and targeting problem areas where fatal crashes occur. The AHSO’s evidence-based Traffic Safety Enforcement Plan (E-BE) has been developed to reduce injuries and fatalities in the State.

Attention is focused on participation in impaired driving, occupant protection and speed enforcement through Selective Traffic Enforcement Projects (STEPs & Mini-STEPs). This program will include active participation by 90+ Arkansas law enforcement agencies in the state. The charts in section “Grant Program Activity Reporting” show the citations issued by STEP & Mini-STEP agencies 2018 through 2022.

Section 2.1 - Comprehensive Public Participation & Engagement

Arkansas FY24-26 Triennial Highway Safety Plan 11

Background

The Triennial Highway Safety Plan (THSP) is the document the State submits once every three fiscal years to document its highway safety program, including the State’s highway safety planning process and problem identification, public participation and engagement, performance plan, countermeasure strategies for programming, and performance report.

The highway safety grant program plays an important role, and the meaningful public participation and engagement requirements are a critical part of the Arkansas Highway Safety Office’s (AHSO) planning efforts to ensure that equity is centered in the grant program. Under BIL, States are expected to engage affected and potentially affected communities during the triennial HSP planning process and throughout the life of the THSP, with particular emphasis on underserved communities and populations that are overrepresented in the data.

Underserved populations are groups that share a particular characteristic or geographic location and have been systematically denied an equitable opportunity to participate in aspects of economic, social, and civic life.

In the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), Congress added a requirement that State highway safety programs implement meaningful public participation and engagement activities that target affected communities, particularly those that have been identified in the data as being significantly impacted by traffic crashes that resulted in injuries and fatalities. The public engagement requirements for this regulation implement the requirements set out in the BIL in accordance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964/Title VI. The following section outlines the public participation and engagement process carried out by the AHSO in compliance with these requirements to ensure that equity is centered in the planning and implementation of the Arkansas highway safety grant program.

The purpose of the AHSO’s comprehensive public participation and engagement effort is to ensure that diverse views are acknowledged and considered throughout all stages of the THSP consultation, planning, and decision-making process. The PPE will serve as a guide for the resulting programmatic efforts by giving applicants and recipients an active role in the development of these projects and providing them with information about how programs or activities can benefit their affected communities.

The AHSO is committed to engaging communities in Arkansas that are underserved and overrepresented in traffic data to inform traffic safety programs that will promote safe and accessible roadways while reducing transportation-related disparities, adverse community impacts, and negative health effects.

Arkansas Highway Safety Office THSP Engagement Planning

As a precursor to implementing an intensive community outreach/engagement initiative, the Arkansas Highway Safety Office contracted with the Arkansas Center for Health Improvement (ACHI) to conduct a “Data Deep Dive”, which gathered fatality and injury data for Arkansas from multiple sources including: FARS (Fatality Analysis Reporting System), FIRST (Fatality and Injury Reporting System Tool), NEMSIS (National Medical Services Information System), AR State Police Crash Records, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, US Census Bureau, Publicly available National and State Data, Data compiled for National Safety Council provided through AR State Police, Arkansas State Medical Examiner, NewZ service, AR Crime lab and toxicology reports, summaries of fatality and injury crashes, and reports from border states with a focus on sources that provided insight into potential traffic safety patterns and disparities. ACHI utilized available data to profile motor vehicle crash and related statistics for use in a SWOT Analysis with stakeholder groups conducted in May 2023. During the SWOT Analysis, this data together with other pertinent information; was reviewed; analyzed; and evaluated with 25+ participants representing a variety of agencies, groups and

Arkansas FY24-26 Triennial Highway Safety Plan 12 individuals. Crash statistics were compiled for all counties in the state and used to ascertain the extent of the problems in the respective locations. (See charts Section 6.8 and Section 6.9).

Based on the problems identified, the AHSO has developed a 3-year Highway Safety Plan with proposed projects and countermeasures to promote highway safety and reduce the incidence and severity of traffic crashes in Arkansas. Priorities for project implementation will be based on this analysis. Plans are to continue the AHSO’s partnership with the ARDOT/SHSP Planning Group and others to incorporate the Safe System Approach and leverage existing stakeholder groups for similar SWOT analyses going forward. AHSO will continue to contract with ACHI to do extensive data analysis that will drive programming and outreach efforts.

Statement of Starting Goals for Public Engagement

The initial goal will build on current community engagement activities by soliciting and increasing feedback from stakeholders, grantees, community groups and organizations. Surveys and questionnaires previously developed and distributed to existing projects to obtain feedback on project effectiveness have been redesigned to incorporate feedback from the target populations of those projects. The AHSO will use feedback obtained from these surveys to inform program efforts going forward. Current projects will be improved, and new projects will be developed to better serve existing program areas. Selected projects will be expanded, and new projects created based on community feedback to target additional locations that are identified as problem areas with underserved or overrepresented populations.

A second goal of the AHSO community engagement process involves a “work group” composed of representatives from the Arkansas SWOT meeting to identify coalitions, community groups and organizations in designated target areas. These target areas have been carefully chosen based on data-driven analysis, taking into account multiple factors such as high crash rates, traffic congestion, environmental factors, road conditions and areas with vulnerable populations. By collaborating with these local stakeholders, AHSO aims to establish strong partnerships that will not only enhance the effectiveness of our highway safety initiatives but also ensure that our efforts are tailored to the unique needs and challenges of each community. This community-centered approach is vital in our commitment to creating safer roadways and reducing crashes and fatalities across the state of Arkansas.

Identification of the Affected and Potentially Affected Communities – Underserved and Overrepresented Populations

Problem ID: It is clear from AR SWOT Analysis and other data analysis that Black People are disproportionately represented in fatal traffic crashes. (See charts Section 6.8 and Section 6.9). This corresponds with an analysis of FARS data (2015-2019) showing black persons having the second highest rate of total traffic deaths in the US for pedestrian, bicyclist, and total traffic deaths.

AR population percentage (Black) 2016-2021 AR percentage of fatalities (Black) 15.1% 18.2%

Arkansas FY24-26 Triennial Highway Safety Plan 13

The AHSO is also aware that the Hispanic population in Arkansas is growing with nearly 250,000 Arkansas identifying as Hispanic/Latino that currently make up 7.6% of AR population and 6.5% of fatalities. AHSO is monitoring this population through continued data analysis to stay abreast of any changes that warrant programmatic efforts. Section 2.2 profiles the AR Hispanic population with a summary of potential activities to be conducted.

AHSO will improve its understanding of risk factors contributing to disproportionate fatalities in Black and Hispanic populations in Arkansas through consistent engagement efforts and will conduct detailed data analyses to understand the characteristics of the groups most adversely affected by traffic crashes. The AHSO will leverage a community outreach program to expand engagement with the affected communities and adjust strategies and programming based on their feedback.

Affected Communities

Arkansas FY24-26 Triennial Highway Safety Plan 14

The Black population in AR is significantly overrepresented in traffic fatalities. (See section 6.8 and 6.9) Top five counties for occupant protection fatalities among Arkansas’ Black population include:

Craighead, Mississippi, Monroe, Pulaski, and St. Francis counties (See chart Section 6.9 showing ratio for all AR counties)

Top five counties for pedestrian fatalities among Arkansas’ Black population include: Craighead, Crittenden, Jefferson, Miller, and Pulaski counties (See chart Section 6.9 showing ratio for all AR counties)

Historically Black Colleges and Universities are located in the Central Arkansas counties of Pulaski and Jefferson.

Counties with HBCUs Black or African American Fatalities in Counties with HBCUs 2017-2021

County % of Total Population

% of Total Fatalities

% of Total Pedestrian Fatalities

% of Total Unrestrained

Fatalities Pulaski 36.89% 39.74% 39.34% 43.90% Jefferson 55.77% 57.14% 73.33% 37.50%

Counties Adjacent to HBCUs

Black or African American Fatalities in Counties adjacent to HBCUs 2017-2021

Counties % of Total Population

% of Total Fatalities

% of Total Pedestrian Fatalities

% of Total Unrestrained

Fatalities Arkansas 25.12% 36.36% 50.00% 16.67% Cleveland 13.48% 20.00% 0.00% 0.00% Grant 2.51% 8.57% 0.00% 0.00% Lincoln 30.25% 33.33% 100.00% 0.00% Lonoke 5.46% 13.04% 0.00% 8.33% Perry 2.56% 5.88% 0.00% 0.00% Saline 7.61% 12.94% 0.00% 20.00% Overrepresented Fatalities

Arkansas FY24-26 Triennial Highway Safety Plan 15

Arkansas Highway Safety Office THSP - Engagement Outcomes:

Several groups have been identified and contact information provided to AHSO Staff. Introductions were made to local community leaders and invitations extended to AHSO staff requesting educational information and/or presentations. AHSO staff or Project Coordinators have participated in activities with the Natural Wonders Partnership Council and Philander Smith HBCU.

Natural Wonders Partnership Council (NWPC)

The NWPC was suggested to the AHSO at the SWOT Analysis by Sharonda Love, Community Health & Safety Director for Community Engagement, Advocacy, and Health at Arkansas Children's Hospital and was a logical starting place for AHSO as the council’s strategy involves building on the momentum of engaged communities.

Arkansas Highway Safety Office (AHSO) wanted to work with community health advocates such as the organizations represented in the Natural Wonders Partnership Council (NWPC) to ensure that they have an active voice in determining countermeasures that can best impact the local communities surrounding the greater Little Rock area. The membership groups of the NWPC who participated in the AHSO SWOT analysis recognized that the NWPC would be a valuable partner in creating measurable programming efforts utilizing data analysis to identify gaps relative to crashes and fatalities in the underserved communities of Pulaski and Jefferson counties where data analysis shows significant pedestrian and unrestrained related incidences.

NWPC is a coalition of diverse child health organizations, nonprofits, agencies, and funders (membership list Section 6.11) that work together to address the changing health needs of children and families in Arkansas.

Since 2006, Arkansas Children’s Hospital has served as the backbone agency for NWPC and helped coordinate strategic initiatives that make measurable improvements in the health and quality of life of Arkansas children and families. The Council has a statewide membership with groups and organizations located in targeted counties that the AHSO has identified as having underserved and overrepresented populations adversely affected by injuries and fatalities resulting from traffic crashes.

The AHSO and the Natural Wonders working partnership is based on the council’s multi-faceted approach to saving lives and reducing injuries to the children and families in Arkansas, particularly in underserved and overrepresented populations. For this reason, the council has a vested interest in the future development of the THSP, given its purpose is to decrease injuries and fatalities resulting from traffic crashes in Arkansas - which aligns with their core goal.

NWPC is headquartered in Pulaski County. Its membership includes the leaders of public health agencies in Pulaski and Jefferson Counties which are targeted counties for AHSO PPE efforts based on problem identification (see chart at bottom of page 14). The AHSO’s meetings with this group have resulted in the identification of several countermeasures and opportunities identified on page 15.

NWPC Activities Conducted:

Natural Wonders Partnership Council (NWPC) – Introductory Meeting- June 6, 2023 o Use of Collective Impact Model to guide work of partners to improve the health of children and families through networking.

Natural Wonders Partnership/Building Community Assets Workgroup (NWP/BCA) Quarterly Zoom

Meeting – July 28, 2023 o AHSO provided data analysis overview and goals for community outreach efforts discussion.

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NWPC Accessibility:

The NWPC meetings on June 6 and July 28, 2023, were virtual meetings which by nature allow greater accessibility for persons that might have issues attending an in-person meeting. The virtual meeting software provided Closed Captioning for a real time transcript of the meeting for the hearing impaired.

NWPC Engagement Outcomes:

The Natural Wonders Partnership Council (NWPC) workgroup “Building Community Assets” (BCA) which included representatives from communities identified as overrepresented in fatalities met with the AHSO on June 6, 2023. During this meeting the AHSO presented data and information identified in the SWOT analysis regarding communities and populations that are overrepresented in Arkansas traffic fatalities and serious injuries and an overview of AHSO goals and objectives for PPE efforts to address this issue. Members of the NWPC “Building Community Assets” workgroup identified areas that would benefit from assistance by reviewing the census data (provided by AHSO) for black people as well as FARS data to understand which program areas were the most severely impacted. It was apparent that Pulaski County is one of the largest counties in Arkansas with a large African American overrepresentation in terms of pedestrian and unrestrained fatalities. Pulaski County (shown in dark green-Center of map on page 12) had the highest number of African Americans at 147,543. African Americans constitute 37.62% of the county's population with Little Rock having an even greater concentration at 42.6%. Pulaski County had the #1 rate for roadway fatalities in 2020 at 19.6 and Little Rock is a key area to target for interventions to reduce black pedestrian fatalities.

After this meeting an invitation was extended to the AHSO to do a more in-depth presentation for the full NWPC membership at their July 28, 2023, meeting. As a result of discussions with NWPC partners, it was determined that an initial means to accomplish our common goal of reducing fatalities and injuries in Arkansas could be accomplished by the sharing of health data (CDC data, hospital discharge data, insurance claim information, etc.) and by bringing health and safety advocates to the table to assist with the ongoing development of the 2024 THSP.

Based on data analysis, the AHSO and the membership of the NWPC focused on a community-based strategy to create opportunities for feedback among different leaders in affected communities. Feedback from the SWOT analysis had already indicated that effective programming should include seatbelt surveys and educational forums on pedestrian and seat belt safety. Additionally, a local engineer from ARDOT who participated in the SWOT had provided information on funding possibilities for signage and signal lights at intersections for pedestrians.

When the full membership of the Natural Wonders Partnership council met on July 28, the attendees included organizations and groups from targeted communities where black people were overrepresented in fatalities.

During this meeting presentations were given by Dean Scott NHTSA Region 7 and Debra Hollis AHSO. They discussed how the model of the Safe System Approach and National Roadway Safety Strategy could be used to build sustainable programs in Pulaski and Jefferson counties incorporating countermeasure strategies previously identified at the BCA workgroup meeting. Additional input was solicited from the full membership group and the AHSO received valuable feedback from this discussion. It was determined that the countermeasures identified in the meeting (listed on page 15) could be effective for the counties of Pulaski and Jefferson. A summary of the NWPC meeting can be found in section 6.11. Some of the countermeasure strategies discussed during the meeting were: walking patrols, seat belt surveys, and educational activities that could be implemented in areas identified by data analysis as critical.

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ATTENDEES OF NWPC JULY 28, 2023, VIRTUAL MEETING

Name Organization Represented Organization Reach & HQ Location

Loretta Alexander AR Advocates for Children and Family Statewide – Pulaski County Raymond Long AR Blue Cross Blue Shield Statewide – Pulaski County Jasmine Zandi AR Hunger Relief Alliance Statewide – Pulaski County Lynn Hawkins AR Rural Health Partnership Statewide – Pulaski County Craig Wilson Arkansas Center for Health Improvement Statewide – Pulaski County Anna Strong Arkansas Chapter, American Academy of Pediatrics Statewide – Pulaski County Beatriz Mondragon Arkansas Children's Hospital Statewide – Pulaski County Holly Terry Arkansas Children's Hospital Statewide – Pulaski County Laura Taylor Arkansas Children's Hospital Statewide – Pulaski County Lessa Payne Arkansas Children's Hospital Statewide – Pulaski County Sarah Harlan Arkansas Children's Hospital Statewide – Pulaski County ShaRhonda Love Arkansas Children's Hospital Statewide – Pulaski County Charles Maxwell Arkansas Children's Hospital Statewide – Pulaski County Lauren Morris Arkansas Community Foundation Statewide –Pulaski Counties Cheria McDonald Arkansas Department of Education Statewide – Pulaski County Nidhi Patel Arkansas Department of Health Statewide – Pulaski County Shanetta Agnew Arkansas Department of Health Statewide – Pulaski County Shannon Borchert Arkansas Department of Health Statewide – Pulaski County Chad Rodgers Arkansas Foundation for Medical Care Statewide – Pulaski County Shaneca Smith Arkansas Foundation for Medical Care Statewide – Pulaski County Sheryl Hurt Arkansas Foundation for Medical Care Statewide – Pulaski County Thedrick Arkansas Foundation for Medical Care Statewide – Pulaski County Debra Hollis Arkansas Highway Safety Office Statewide – Pulaski County Peyton Reeves Arkansas Highway Safety Office Statewide – Pulaski County Kenya Eddings Arkansas Minority Health Commission Statewide – Pulaski County Katie Stahler Baptist Health Statewide – Pulaski County Angela Flynn Department of Human Services Statewide – Pulaski County Hannah Raines Department of Human Services Statewide – Pulaski County Iris Goacher Department of Human Services Statewide – Pulaski County Angela Duran Excel by 8 Jefferson and Pulaski Counties Randy Jumper First North Little Rock North Little Rock – Pulaski County Allie Staton Immunize Arkansas Statewide – Pulaski County Heather Mercer Immunize Arkansas Statewide – Pulaski County Mary Otwell Little Rock School District Little Rock – Pulaski County Dean Scott National Highway Transportation Safety Administration Nationwide – Missouri Susan DeCourcy National Highway Transportation Safety Administration Nationwide – Missouri Ana Miller Sanofi Multinational – Benton County Danielle Wright The Root Creation Statewide – Pulaski County Diana Gonzalez Worthen University of Arkansas Statewide – Washington County Christopher Smith University of Arkansas Medical Sciences Statewide – Pulaski County Kim Scott University of Arkansas Medical Sciences Statewide – Pulaski County

Recommended Countermeasure Strategies from NWPC Meeting Attendees on July 28, 2023:

Use back to school events to promote Seat Belt and Pedestrian Educational Programs Contact programs with Junior Auxiliary, fraternity/sorority organizations and rotary clubs to set up Seat

Belt and Pedestrian Programs and conduct local surveys /education in underserved communities.

Engage faith-based organizations and Boys & Girls Clubs that serve underserved and overrepresented communities in Pulaski and Jefferson Counties.

Train medical providers to include traffic safety conversations, specifically Seat Belt and Pedestrian

Safety, in every health contact and remind all primary care providers periodically.

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Develop projects with local African American and Latino community-based organizations in Pulaski and Jefferson Counties to deliver messaging for back-to-school events and festivals.

Model messaging and programs based on what has worked with vaccine education in identified communities.

During this discussion it was determined that countermeasure strategies should include law enforcement walking patrols in areas where impaired pedestrians are common. High Visibility Enforcement will still be highly prevalent and utilized to combat unrestrained fatalities in overrepresented communities, but law enforcement will incorporate educational opportunities in addition to writing citations.

The AHSO and the NWPC membership will work together on these countermeasures to implement projects based on the above feedback and to involve teachers, students, administrators, medical providers, African American and Latino community-based organizations as well as city and county officials. Focus groups, town hall meetings, presentations to civic groups, faith-based and other community-based groups will be organized and scheduled to solicit additional guidance for project planning and implementation. All feedback will be coordinated with AHSO partners and subgrantees to identify potential opportunities within their scope of work.

These organizations will look for engagement opportunities such as interactive workshops and presentations, mock pedestrian crosswalks, seat belt demonstrations, interactive games/activities etc. to further seat belt and pedestrian safety. Organizations will follow up with evaluations to review and improve the process. The AHSO will use this feedback along with any suggestions to identify and implement new countermeasure strategies and revisions to the FY 24-26 THSP.

How NWPC Members Feedback Has Been Incorporated Into The THSP

Based on the Problem ID from the SWOT and feedback from the NWPC July 28, 2023, meeting, the AHSO is coordinating with ACH to expand both the CPS and Teen program staff in FY24. Specific goals are to increase child safety seat (CSS) inspections stations in Pulaski and Jefferson counties in areas that are readily accessible to underserved communities. ACH will also look at periodically extending or altering the hours of CSS inspection stations to accommodate “normal work hours” so that citizens will be less likely to need to take off work to have a car seat inspection. The ACH CPS program will partner with community organizations in Pulaski and Jefferson Counties that work with underrepresented communities to train CPS technicians and provide them with the necessary equipment to conduct car seat events. They will also provide information to medical providers and encourage them to educate their patients. The goal is to find CPS technicians in these communities that can become certified trainers and to increase the number of CPS technicians and medical providers providing education on passenger safety in these communities.

Two of the recommendations from the NWPC meeting on July 28, 2023, were:

Set up Seat Belt and Pedestrian Programs and conduct local surveys/education in underserved communities.

Train medical providers to include traffic safety conversations, specifically Seat Belt and Pedestrian Safety, in every health contact and remind all primary care providers periodically.

Consistent with the feedback from this…