Lessons learned from the five-year CDC Tribal motor vehicle injury prevention program conducted in collaboration with four American Indian Tribes

Background: Program evaluation results from the landmark five-year Tribal Motor Vehicle Injury Prevention Program (TMVIPP) funded by the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention's (CDC) National Center for Injury Prevention & Control demonstrate the value of applying effective strategies to prevent motor vehicle (MV) injuries/death. Despite a 34% decrease over 20 years in MV-related death rates for Native Americans (NA), the 2002 NA MV death rate was almost two times greater than the U.S. national rate. In response to this disparity, from 2004-2009 the CDC directly funded four American Indian Tribes to apply evidence-based strategies from the Community Guide to Preventive Services for reducing motor vehicle injury/death, including three reservation-based Tribes in the West and one non-reservation Tribe in the Midwest United States. Methods: Review of TMVIPP documents (e.g., progress reports/funding applications), evaluation data, intensive evaluator observations, and interviews/focus groups with TMVIPP staff are used to describe core elements, key characteristics, and collaborations that facilitated or limited implementation of effective strategies in Tribal communities. Results: TMVIPP funding required dedicated staff, focus on effective strategies (e.g., new/strengthened laws, increased enforcement, use of media) and real-time program evaluation. These requirements enabled Tribes to show measurable success (e.g., in reports/presentations at national conferences) regarding increased sobriety checkpoints/saturation patrols and increased occupant restraint use. Conclusions: Translation lessons learned (e.g., emphasis on evidence-based strategies, technical assistance) from the TMVIPP, CDC's first direct funding to Tribes, can guide future funding provided directly to Tribes by state/national entities seeking to build Tribal capacity to address MV injuries.