Review of Tribal Transportation Safety

For more than a decade, the proportion of American Indians and Alaskan Natives killed in motor vehicle–related crashes (per population of 100,000) has been much higher than that of other ethnic groups in the United States. Between 1975 and 2002, the number of fatal motor vehicle crashes increased by 52.5% on Indian reservations, while the number declined by 2.2% nationally. Seat belt underuse, child seat restraint underuse, and operation of a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol have been identified as key concerns for tribal transportation safety during various tribal safety summits and in the published literature. Without detailed data, identifying specific risk factors and developing effective solutions (as well as securing federal and state funding for safety programs) is difficult. This report summarizes the information available on crashes in tribal communities to generate a fact-based understanding of the status of transportation safety within these communities. Gaps in crash data and a study procedure to overcome these gaps are discussed to understand and work better to improve transportation safety on tribal lands. Results showed that readily available information could provide only a broad overview of the status of tribal transportation safety. For the major transportation safety concerns within a tribal community to be identified and addressed, data need to be obtained at the community level. For crash patterns and best practices to be identified, information should be aggregated from tribes that have successfully established a data collection procedure and have implemented safety programs.