Provision of program evaluation tools and technical assistance to collect and summarize Tribal motor vehicle injury prevention program data

Background:   We describe results from eight American Indian/Alaska Native Tribes/Tribal Organizations funded by CDC’s Tribal Motor Vehicle Injury Prevention Program (TMVIPP).  Projects were required to collect data for measurable workplan objectives, and to implement evidence-based strategies to reduce motor vehicle crash (MVC) injuries by addressing:  1) seatbelt use; 2) child safety seat use; and 3) driving under the influence (DUI). 

Methods:  As part of a four-year technical assistance contract, the authors provided tools and ongoing support to facilitate collection of data to document the extent to which projects achieved their objectives.  We summarized descriptive results across projects using:  1) annual workplans; 2) progress reports; 3) restraint use data; and 4) enforcement, MVC, and MVC injury/fatality data.

Results/Outcomes:   Seven of eight projects documented increases in seatbelt use (2%-175%), with five achieving objectives.  Five of five projects documented increases in child safety seat use (6%-40%), with four achieving objectives.  Two of four projects met objectives to reduce alcohol-involved MVC injuries (23%-70%) and alcohol-involved MVC fatalities (56%-86%).  For projects focused on policy-level change:  three of six passed new Tribal seatbelt use laws; three of five passed new child safety seat laws; and one of three passed enhanced DUI laws. 

Conclusions:  CDC TMVIPP provided technical assistance to support the development of measurable objectives, restraint use data collection, and tracking of enforcement, MVC, and MVC injury/fatality data.  Despite challenges to collect data locally, on-going technical assistance to support data collection and analysis efforts ensured the ability of these Tribal traffic safety projects to document results.