“I didn't know nothing” - yarning up on access to compensation from road traffic injury with Aboriginal people

Road safety is a major public health concern in Australia. In the last decade over 12 thousand Australians have died from a road crash, and even more live with lifelong injuries and disabilities from these events. Individuals injured in a road traffic crash can access support through compensation schemes, which differ across jurisdictions. Here we show a lack of knowledge among high burden populations in accessing compensation schemes for road traffic injuries. An Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Traffic Governance Group oversaw this study to centralise Indigenous knowledge. Yarning an Indigenous research method for data collection was used with participants. Aboriginal participants who lived near major highways in metropolitan, rural and remote regions, were recruited through social media and community networks. Qualitative analysis software was used to thematically code transcripts. A total of eight yarning sessions were conducted with Aboriginal participants. We identified Aboriginal people had limited knowledge, access or support for accessing compensation schemes. This impacted on their labour force engagement, leisure and community activities creating a loss of autonomy for individuals, of which family support and connection to Country assisted in healing for individuals. Our outcomes identify an urgent need for compensation scheme review and co-design with community, to decrease burden on Aboriginal people, and ensure strength-based, culturally specific, whole of life compensation is provided. • Aboriginal Australians have road traffic mortality and morbidity rates for greater than non-Indigenous Australians. • These injuries induce physical, psychological and financial impacts. • Our participants reported limited knowledge, access or support in navigating road traffic injury compensation schemes. • Family, community and connection to Country are protective factors for Aboriginal people. • Review and co-design of road traffic injury compensation schemes is urgently needed.