Safe driving is always important, but for First Nations people living in remote areas, it is especially critical because of poor road conditions and limited funding for improvements.
In addition to promoting safe driving practices, the First Nations Health Authority (FNHA) advocates for safe transportation planning for First Nations communities in rural and remote areas. FNHA's Environmental Public Health teams can provide guidance on infrastructure upgrades that support road safety, assist with community planning, and connect communities with Regional Health Authorities that offer funding grants for those projects.
Roads are more than just transportation – they are lifelines for accessing essential services like health care, emergency services, economic opportunities, food security, and cultural connections to the land. Safe roads also enable timely evacuations during wildfires, floods, and other emergencies, and help prevent collisions, injuries, and fatalities, reducing strain on local health systems already challenged with recruiting and retaining healthcare professionals.
With vehicle collisions being the leading cause of death among Indigenous youth under 25, some First Nations communities in BC are proactively delivering initiatives focused on improving youth road safety through driver education programs and partnerships with local organizations.
Three such initiatives include the Safe Driving Signage Project, delivered by the Ashcroft Indian Band in the BC Interior; the Sacred Circles Driver's Licensing Program, delivered by the Nuu-chah-nulth Youth Warrior Family Society on Vancouver Island; and the First Nations Driver Education Program, delivered by Carrier Sekani Family Services in north-central BC.
The Safe Driving Signage Project installed community maps at every main entry point for the Ashcroft Indian Band's (AIB) territory. Designed in partnership with Urban Systems, these maps display house addresses, street names, junctions, vehicle entry and exit routes, posted speed limits, fire hydrant locations, and local business addresses.
“The goal was to create the safest environment possible for our vulnerable road users and to ensure faster, more efficient response times for first responders," said April Voisey, AIB staff member. “We also co-led a Traffic Calming Project, which installed several road chokers and prominent signage such as 'SLOW DOWN: CHILDREN AT PLAY' in high-speed traffic areas to slow vehicle speeds and improve safety."
The Sacred Circles Driver's Licensing Program helps youth in remote First Nations communities on Vancouver Island obtain identification and pass learner's permit and road tests. “The program's goal is to address systemic barriers and existing inequities such as lack of access to working vehicles, government-issued ID, or even opportunities to practise driving where there are intersections, curbs, and stop signs," said Nuu-chah-nulth community member Randi-Leigh McNutt, who led the program. Nuu-chah-nulth works with ICBC to have ID cards, driving lessons, mock signage, and driving tests brought to remote villages, and to make forms and processes for more user-friendly. They have also purchased road signs and delineators to simulate driving environments for practice in communities lacking this infrastructure.
The First Nations Driver Education Program provides hands-on driver training for First Nations communities along the remote Highway 16 corridor. This program helps people obtain driver's licences and improves safety by enabling road access to work and essential services. It covers all levels of the graduated licensing system, including commercial licences.
Most of these projects were funded by BC Vision Zero in Road Safety grants; you can read more about them on Vision Zero's website or the communities' websites. For information about funding for community-led safe-driving initiatives or projects aimed at making your community's roads safer, check out this link: BC Vision Zero in Road Safety Grant. You can also connect with the FNHA Environmental Health Officer who supports your community.
