FHWA-FLH-10-04 

New Mexico 

Tribal Traffic Safety Summit 

Summit Report 

August 18, 2009 

Isleta Casino and Resort Albuquerque, New Mexico 

Prepared by Cambridge Systematics, Inc. 

 
FHWA-FLH-10-04 

NOTICE 

This document is disseminated under the sponsorship of the Department of 

Transportation in the interest of information exchange. The United States 

Government assumes no liability for its contents or use thereof. 

The contents of this report reflect the views of the contractor who is responsible for the 

accuracy of the data presented herein. The contents do not necessarily reflect the 

official policy of the Department of Transportation. 

The United States Government does not endorse products or manufacturers. Trade or 

manufacturers’ names appear herein only because they are considered essential to the 

objective of this document.
Technical Report Documentation Page 

1. Report No. 

FHWA-FLH-10-04

2. Government Accession No. 

 

3. Recipient’s Catalog No 

 

4. Title and Subtitle 

New Mexico Tribal Traffic Safety Summit Report 

5. Report Date 

February 2010 

6. Performing Organization Code 

 

7. Author(s) 

Susan Herbel (Principal Investigator), Bernardo Kleiner 

8. Performing Organization Report No. 

9. Performing Organization Name and Address 

Cambridge Systematics, Inc. 

100 CambridgePark Drive, Suite 400 

Cambridge, MA 02140 

10. Work Unit No. 

 

11. Contract or Grant No. 

DTFH61-61-08-T-02601 

12. Sponsoring Agency Name and Address 

Department of Transportation 

Federal Highway Administration 

Office of Federal Lands Highway 

1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE 

Washington, DC 20590 

13. Type of Report and Period Covered 

Meeting Report 

August 18, 2009 

14. Sponsoring Agency Code 

 

15. Supplementary Notes 

FHWA: Chimai Ngo and Craig Genzlinger 

16. Abstract 

This report documents the New Mexico Tribal Traffic Safety Summit held August 18, 2009, in 

Albuquerque, New Mexico. The mission of this Summit was to define Tribal transportation safety 

issues, identify good practices and challenges, propose solutions to the problem areas, and suggest 

action steps. In addition, the Summit offered an opportunity for safety partners to foster working 

relationships. The goal is to prevent death and injury on the roadways in Indian Country and on all 

public roads in New Mexico. The following report includes background information, themes discussed 

by Summit speakers and participants, Summit results, and next steps for moving forward. 

17. Key Words 

transportation safety, traffic safety, road safety, 

Native Americans, reservation roads, Washington

18. Distribution Statement 

19. Security Classif. (of this report) 

Unclassified 

20. Security Classif. (of this page)

Unclassified 

21. No of Pages 

21

22. Price 

 

Form DOT F 1700.7 (8-72) Reproduction of completed pages authorized 
Table of Contents

Background ................................................................................................................................................. 1

Purpose of the Summit ................................................................................................................. 2

Themes ............................................................................................................................. s ............................ 3

Youth ............................................................................................................................................... 3 

Leadership ...................................................................................................................................... 3 

Partnerships ................................................................................................................................... 4

Resources ........................................................................................................................................ 6

Data ................................................................................................................................................. 7

Summit Results ............................................................................................................................. s .............. 9

Building Capacity to Meet Unmet Tribal Transportation Needs ........................................... 9

Building Tribal Law Enforcement Capacity to Enforce Traffic Safety ................................ 11

Universal Data Issues ................................................................................................................. 13

Moving Forward ............................................................................................................................. d ......... 15

Appendix A: Agenda ............................................................................................................................ a A-1
 New Mexico Tribal Traffic Safety Summit 

1

Background

eclined 

2 percent.3

populations, they represent 17 percent of motor vehicle fatalities. 

insights gained, lessons learned, and 

ideas for moving forward. 

 Department, and the 

City of Albuquerque – Office of the Mayor. 

 

New Mexico’s 22 Tribes, 

Pueblos, and Nations 

• Jicarilla Apache Nation 

• Mescalero Apache Tribe 

• Navajo Nation 

• Ohkay Owingeh 

• Pueblo of Acoma 

• Pueblo of Cochiti 

• Pueblo of Isleta 

• Pueblo of Jemez 

• Pueblo of Laguna 

• Pueblo of Nambe 

• Pueblo of Picuris 

• Pueblo of Pojoaque 

• Pueblo of Sandia 

• Pueblo of Santa Ana 

• Pueblo of Santa Clara 

• Pueblo of San Felipe 

• Pueblo of San Ildefonso 

• Pueblo of Santo Domingo 

• Pueblo of Taos 

• Pueblo of Tesuque 

Every year more than 40,000 motorists die and almost 3,000,000 

are injured on our Nation’s roadways. For ages 4 to 34, motor 

vehicle-related injuries are the leading cause of death in the 

United States,1 and Native Americans are at particularly high 

risk. Among Native American populations, motor vehicle-related 

injuries are the leading cause of death up to age 44.2 Between 

1975 and 2002, the number of fatal crashes in Indian Country 

increased over 50 percent, while nationally they d

Across the country, in a comparison of statewide and Native 

American fatality rates by population, Native Americans are 

between two and three times more likely to be killed in motor 

vehicle crashes than other citizens. New Mexico is no exception 

to the trend. While Native Americans represent 9.5 percent of the

The New Mexico Tribal Traffic Safety Summit held August 18, 

2009 is an important step toward reducing traffic fatalities and 

injuries among Tribal members. This document describes the 

Summit, focusing on the 

The Summit was carried out through the collaborative efforts of 

Tribal representatives, New Mexico Department of Transportation 

(NMDOT), Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), National Highway 

Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Federal Highway 

Administration (FHWA) Federal Lands Highway and New 

Mexico Division Offices, All Indian Pueblo Council, New Mexico 

State Police, New Mexico Higher Education

1Hilton J., Race and Ethnicity in Fatal Motor Vehicle Traffic Crashes 1999-

2004, DOT HS 809 956. May 2006. U.S. DOT, NHTSA. 

2Subramanian R., Motor Vehicle Traffic Crashes as a Leading Cause of Death 

in the United States, 2005, DOT HS 810 936. April 2008. U.S. DOT, 

National Center for Statistics and Analysis. 

3

 Poindexter, K., Fatal Motor Vehicle Crashes on Indian Reservations 1975-

2002, DOT HS 809 727. May 2004. U.S. DOT, NTSA. 
 New Mexico Tribal Traffic Safety Summit 

2

 Purpose of the Summit 

The mission of this Summit was to define Tribal transportation 

safety issues, identify good practices and challenges, propose 

solutions to the problem areas, and suggest action steps. In addition, the Summit offered an opportunity for safety partners to 

foster working relationships. The goal is to prevent death and 

injury on the roadways in Indian Country and on all public roads 

in New Mexico. A Summit agenda is included in Appendix A. 

The Summit began with opening remarks of encouragement and 

support from state and Federal transportation safety officials. 

Plenary session presentations introduced current transportation 

safety initiatives in Indian Country at both the state and local 

level. They also described success stories on mounting multijurisdictional traffic safety enforcement campaigns and examples 

of how road safety assessments and other engineering solutions 

have been applied to improve safety for New Mexico’s Native 

American communities. 

These presentations were followed by smaller breakout group 

discussions focusing on three critical areas: 

• Building capacity to meet unmet Tribal transportation needs; 

• Building Tribal capacity to enforce traffic safety; and 

• Universal data issues. 

The breakout discussions provided an opportunity to share experiences, learn from one another about programs and resources, 

and suggest actions for improving safety on Tribal roadways. 

The Summit is a first step. Follow-up within and among New 

Mexico’s Tribes in collaboration with state and Federal partners is 

required for further progress. New Mexico has strong safety leadership, but local grassroots initiatives are imperative to drive the 

numbers down. 
 New Mexico Tribal Traffic Safety Summit 

3

Themes

Several key themes emerged from the Summit as recurring 

emphasis areas in presentations and discussion groups. 

 Youth

A number of speakers echoed the need to protect the safety of 

Native American youth and to engage youth in safety improvement efforts. Highlighting this theme, participants were shown 

the winning entry from a contest specifically targeting Native 

American youth perspectives on traffic safety in New Mexico and 

how concerns are being addressed (sponsors of included the 

Indian Pueblo Cultural Center, Tsay Corporation of Ohkay 

Owingeh Pueblo, Three Stars Consulting, and All Native 

Alliance-Teaching Voices, Inc.). The New Optical Image Club at 

the Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute (SIPI) produced the 

winning film, “Through the Eyes of a SIPI Student,” which documents road conditions on Coors Boulevard and South of Paseo 

Del Norte where there is high traffic volume with no crosswalk 

for pedestrians. In the audience were Mr. Elias Archuleta, State 

Traffic Engineer for the NMDOT and Ms. Gaylord Siow from the 

Metropolitan Planning Organization, who have since have 

expressed concern and interest to follow up with SIPI. 

 Leadership

Leadership is reflected in a call for adults to serve as role models 

for the children by demonstrating safe driving behavior and for 

Tribal leaders and other local and state officials to champion the 

safety cause and make it a priority. 

The importance of leadership, particularly as it relates to youth, 

was emphasized by the opening statements from Grandma 

Marjorie Thomas, Diné Advocate and Educator, who walks 75 

miles every year to the capital of Navajo Nation to bring attention 

to issues affecting Tribal youth. Grandma Thomas stressed the 

importance of adults serving as teachers and role models, and 

taking a leadership role to ensure the safety of children. 
 New Mexico Tribal Traffic Safety Summit 

4

 Partnerships 

Opening remarks by Jackson Gibson, District 6 Highway 

Commissioner, emphasized the importance of strong partnerships where two or more groups share equitable distribution of 

work and riches, and noted sharing is facilitated when safety is 

the benefit. Tribal safety stakeholders are encouraged to work 

with Tribal elders and advisors, Federal agencies, and state partners to elevate road safety as a priority and implement Tribal 

safety initiatives. The value of collaboration was reinforced in 

presentations and group discussions throughout the Summit. 

NMDOT Guiding Principle 

We are committed to the principle 

of partnership with Tribal 

Governments. Our Department 

recognizes, respects, and supports the unique sovereign status 

of the Tribes and Pueblos in New 

Mexico. We will be a national 

leader in developing governmentto-government relations on all 

matters of transportation in a 

consultative manner that is 

respectful of each Tribe’s culture 

and traditions. 

John Don Martinez, FHWA’s New Mexico Division Administrator, 

highlighted how cooperative efforts have led to New Mexico’s 

recent improvements citing reductions in fatalities due to reductions in alcohol-related and pedestrian crashes and increases in 

safety belt use. However, he also emphasized any life lost is one 

too many, and it will take everyone working together to further 

reduce injuries and fatalities. 

John Baxter, Associate Administrator of FHWA’s Office of 

Federal Lands Highway, also noted recent road safety successes 

along with new challenges associated with motorcycle riders and 

text messaging while driving. Strategies presented for consideration highlight the importance of partnerships – outreach to partners to leverage resources and expertise, Tribal safety plans, 4E 

approaches working with engineering, education, enforcement, 

and emergency medical services, and road safety audits. 

Pat Tucker, NHTSA’s Region 6 Programs Manager, rounded out 

the opening discussion suggesting the safe movement of people 

and goods takes a partnership between the roads and the people. 

Participants heard about the following examples of collaborative 

efforts to improve traffic safety for Native Americans throughout 

New Mexico: 

• The BIA Indian Highway Safety Program (IHSP) participates 

in quarterly meetings with Federal partners including 

NHTSA, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, BIA 

Office of Justice Services, Indian Health Services (IHS), among 

others. At the state level, IHSP collaborates with BIA law 

enforcement, IHS, and highway safety office personnel on a 

variety of efforts such as impaired driving courts, child passenger safety, and traffic records. 

• NMDOT’s Transportation Safety Bureau (TSB) is partnering 

with the New Mexico State Police (NMSP); e.g., Click It or 
 New Mexico Tribal Traffic Safety Summit 

5

Ticket, teen safety belt initiatives, checkpoints, and saturation 

patrols. Through collaboration with the New Mexico 

Activities Association, student athletes are required to participate in alcohol prevention programs. 

New Mexico State-Tribal DWI 

Strategic Plan Focus Areas: 

• Tribal Justice Enterprise 

(cops, courts, corrections) 

• Information Sharing 

• Treatment and Intervention 

• Prevention 

• Public Awareness 

• The New Mexico Motor Vehicle Division is supporting alcohol enforcement by partnering with Tribes on Administrative 

License Revocation for DWI offenders. 

• In December 2006, New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson 

established the New Mexico State-Tribal DWI Task Force to 

address the growing number of Native American alcoholrelated crash fatalities. Task Force members include leadership from New Mexico’s 22 Pueblos, Tribes, and Nations, 

community members, and representatives from state agencies 

and DWI prevention organizations. 

Panelists described multijurisdictional enforcement initiatives as 

prime examples of successful partnerships. 

• The Navajo Nation kicked off a DUI initiative at the same 

time Governor Richardson started the State DWI program. 

The guiding principles of this campaign brought together a 

partnership between the Nation and the State to educate K-12 

students and adults about the risks associated with DUI, as 

well as credentialing, cross-training, and cross-deputizing 

officers to enforce DUI/DWI laws on and off Tribal lands. 

• A ground breaking “cross-commissioning” agreement in 2007 

between the Navajo Nation and the McKinley County 

Sheriff’s office allows officers from the Navajo Nation to 

patrol for suspected drunk drivers in McKinley County, and 

for McKinley County officers to patrol for drunk drivers on 

Navajo lands. As a result of the agreement, the Gallup Police 

Department, the New Mexico State Police, the McKinley 

Country Sheriff, and the Navajo Police Department, working 

with NMDOT, have joined together to create a special DWI 

Task Force to increase DWI checkpoints and saturation 

patrols in McKinley County, and to convince the public if they 

drink and drive, they will be caught. 

• The Santa Clara Pueblo is working cooperatively with the 

State Police and the Sheriff’s Department on cross-jurisdictional enforcement to reduce DWI’s. 

Participants learned about road safety assessments and other 

collaborative engineering solutions to improve safety in Indian 

Country and across the State. 

• Safety is a major concern for the BIA Indian Reservation 

Roads program. The BIA Southwest Region maintains roads 
 New Mexico Tribal Traffic Safety Summit 

6

and has increased its inventory substantially over the past few 

years. The BIA helps Pueblos by facilitating the process for 

them to reach their goals with a focus on the infrastructure. 

BIA has supported a number of memoranda of understanding 

(MOU) between tribes and NMDOT to implement infrastructure projects. 

• NMDOT is partnering on a range of infrastructure projects 

with the Navajo Nation, Pueblo of Jemez, Pueblo of Acoma, 

Pueblo of Laguna, and Pueblo of Zuni. Examples of ongoing, 

completed, and upcoming projects involve intersection 

improvements; mill and overlay; reconstruction; interchange 

repair; cutler repaving; bridge repair, widening, and construction; road extension: and corridor studies. 

In 2008, NMDOT was awarded 

the Making a Difference Silver 

Award for Risk Taking by the 

National Partnership for Highway 

Quality for a venture including 

pavement milling and inlay, ramp 

reconstruction, construction of 

accel/decel lanes on I-40, road 

intersection improvements, construction of a bike/pedestrian 

path, drainage improvements, 

ADA-compliant improvements, 

materials testing, and other associated activities to support the 

reconstruction and rehabilitation 

project. The ingenuity of this 

collaboration led to the successful 

design, planning, management, 

and completion of this project 

with a cost savings of 30 percent.

• In 1999, Pueblo of San Felipe Governor Ortiz submitted a letter to NMDOT citing safety issues with a narrow bridge on 

the reservation border. NMDOT met with tribal leaders and 

indicated the project would be added to project listings. Following complications from the bridge’s designation as a historic site because it was only the eighth bridge ever built in 

New Mexico, the bridge was successfully reconstructed 

through the cooperative effort between the Pueblo, the MidRegion Council of Governments, NMDOT, and BIA. 

 Resources 

Summit participants mentioned an acute lack of resources as a 

major obstacle to improving safety. An important advantage 

highlighted in all the above cases of successful partnerships is 

access to and leveraging of resources. Examples include: 

• IHSP receives 2 percent (currently about $4.6 million) of the of 

Federal Section 402 dollars to address priority program areas 

including alcohol, police traffic services, data, and occupant 

protection. A request for proposal is distributed to every tribal leader in the country along with publication of a Federal 

Registry Notice. IHSP hosts grants writing training and 

receives around 40 proposals each year. Selected projects are 

included in the Highway Safety Plan and funded on a reimbursement basis. One quarter (10) of current IHSP projects 

are in New Mexico. 

• TSB currently provides funding for 10 Tribal agencies to 

implement checkpoints and saturation patrols. 
 New Mexico Tribal Traffic Safety Summit 

7

• Partnering has helped the Navajo Nation’s DUI program 

overcome some of its limited resources. For example, IHS has 

supplied Intoxilyzer 8000s and other supplies. 

Agencies of the McKinley 

County DWI Task Force 

• McKinley County Sheriff 

• Navajo Police Department 

• Gallup Police Department 

• State Police 

• Gallup District Attorney’s 

Office 

• With funding from the NMDOT 

Traffic Safety Bureau

• The McKinley County DWI Task Force originally began with 

hiring one full-time law enforcement officer through a grant 

from NHTSA. The State began investing funds in the Task 

Force and it has since grown into the large cooperative effort 

it is today. 

• The Santa Clara Pueblo has received overtime funding for law 

enforcement through both IHSP and TSB (Safer New Mexico). 

• When Tribes were struggling to meet matching requirements 

in their MOUs with NMDOT for infrastructure projects, the 

Indian Reservation Roads program entered Joint Project 

Agreements with NMDOT and used BIA funding to fulfill the 

match requirements. 

• Infrastructure projects have been funded through a variety of 

other Federal, state, and Tribal sources including, among 

others, the highway safety improvement program (HSIP), 

Governor Richardson’s Investment Partnership (GRIP) II, 

and, more recently, the American Recovery and Reinvestment 

Act. 

• The Pueblo of San Felipe Bridge 8 project cost $1.2 million and 

was jointly funded through BIA, GRIP II, and the Pueblo. 

 Data

Another overarching theme of the Summit is the importance of 

data and analytical tools to identify and document safety problems. Appropriate analysis not only improves success in 

receiving funding but ensures the underlying causes of safety 

problems are understood. Without this analysis, it is possible to 

misunderstand the problem or apply the wrong solution, leading 

to wasted resources and perhaps additional unsafe conditions. 

• Participants were reminded of shrinking resources at all levels 

and the need for data to show where to put the dollars most 

effectively. They were encouraged to work together to devise 

a plan to address data collection challenges. 

• The IHSP is a performance-based, data-driven program. 

Projects must be justified, and monthly reports are required. 

The program is piloting a Tribal traffic records project in eight 

tribes in three states. IHSP provides hardware, training, and 

traffic records software. 
 New Mexico Tribal Traffic Safety Summit 

8

• Likewise, with shrinking resources, the Indian Reservation 

Roads program relies heavily on crash data to rank highpriority projects. 

• The Governor’s State-Tribal DWI Task Force uses data, such 

as a survey showing a majority of drivers with low perceptions of the likelihood of being convicted for DWI, to reinforce 

the need for high-visibility enforcement programs. Data is 

also used to monitor progress such as increases in license 

revocations from DWI arrests since 2007. 

• The McKinley County Task Force effort relies largely on 

volunteer efforts. To maximize the effectiveness of enforcement efforts, the Task Force maintains statistics and uses GIS 

mapping to identify “red dots” (hazardous locations) to guide 

deployment. 
 New Mexico Tribal Traffic Safety Summit 

9

Summit Results

A primary Summit objective was to provide a forum to share 

their experiences, learn from one another, and work together to 

begin identifying solutions and action steps. To achieve this, 

Summit participants were divided into breakout groups around 

specific topics and asked to identify issues and challenges in those 

areas, current programs, recommended solutions, and action 

steps. The following sections reflect participant comments during 

the breakout discussions. 

 Building Capacity to Meet Unmet Tribal 

Transportation Needs 

Issues and Challenges 

• A number of Tribes lack adequate expertise and resources to 

meet transportation safety needs. 

• Federal, state, city, and MPO policies and processes often 

make it difficult for Tribes to participate. 

• Stringent ARRA requirements (i.e., design specifications) left 

many Tribes unable to develop eligible “shovel ready”

projects. 

• Many Tribes find it difficult to meet GRIP II match 

requirements. 

• GRIP II projects are limited to only local roads, i.e., a state 

road through a reservation is not eligible for funding. 

• Having to fulfill the full National Environmental Policy Act 

(NEPA) process when purchasing right-of-way is too 

burdensome. 

• It is difficult for rural areas to compete with urban needs for 

transportation resources. 

• Once Tribes receive funds, some lack adequate development 

capacity to actually use the money and complete the projects. 
 New Mexico Tribal Traffic Safety Summit 

10

• Standards are often not considered when Tribal roadway 

projects are designed and implemented, i.e., cows on the road 

because shoulders are lacking. 

• Lack of coordination among Tribal entities often hampers 

progress in solving common problems. 

Current Programs 

• NMDOT Tribal Liaison is actively trying to identify areas 

where NMDOT can support Tribes. 

• One of the Pueblos has an established evacuation plan. 

• NMDOT is organizing a group to examine rural/urban distribution of resources and consider adjusting facility 

classifications. 

Solutions and Action Steps 

• Form consortia to share resources among Pueblos and Tribes, 

i.e., Tribe to Tribe agreements. 

• Hire personnel to work for more than one Pueblo. 

• Use “round robin” funding agreements among Tribes with 

pooled funds to improve roads, i.e., one tribe gets a project 

this year; another one next year; etc. 

• Establish/organize a group or association based on this 

Summit to advocate for Tribal needs. 

• Get involved in the decision-making process. Contact elected 

officials, commissioners, etc., to let them know your needs 

and recommended solutions. 

• Make the case now for more rural support under transportation reauthorization bill. Visit transportation committees and 

subcommittees when visiting Washington officials. Establish 

a subcommittee under the State-Tribal Task Force to develop 

a policy proposal. 

• Challenge Congress to look at mechanisms in addition to 

urban/rural and develop new methods for funding distribution that is more equitable for rural America. 

• Approach state legislators and others who can provide more 

resources and establish better processes. 

• Establish a clear process for cooperative agreements between 

Tribes and the State. 

• Assign an engineer in each regional planning organization 

(RPO) to provide Tribal technical assistance. 
 New Mexico Tribal Traffic Safety Summit 

11

• Use the categorical exclusive process which does not require a 

full NEPA process. 

• Seek a policy to avoid the NEPA process when the environment has already been disturbed, i.e., when BIA builds a road 

but does not purchase right-of-way. 

• Coordinate efforts among all tribes to address evacuation 

issues, i.e., how to handle a hazard spill, transfer of nuclear 

waste, etc. 

 Building Tribal Law Enforcement Capacity to 

Enforce Traffic Safety 

Issues and Challenges 

• Speeding and impaired driving are top concerns. 

• Many Tribal courts are not ordering ignition interlocks. 

• Tribes lack law enforcement officers and equipment. 

Resources go to highways, lighting, bridges, expansion, etc. 

• Difficulties in law enforcement recruitment and retention, i.e., 

once trained, officers often move on to other agencies with 

better benefits. 

• Tribal law enforcement officers need drug recognition expert 

(DRE) and standardized field sobriety test (SFST) training. 

• Tribes are required to pay for services, such as blood draws, 

emergency services, coroner, etc. 

• The heavy volume of visitor traffic (many aggressive drivers) 

on Tribal roadways impact resources. 

• Tribes lack adequate alcohol treatment programs. 

• Information sharing among Tribes is inadequate. 

• Data collection is too costly. 

• Only about half the New Mexico Tribes apply for grant 

funding, often citing lack of grant writers, administrators, etc. 

• Many Tribal programs are dependent on Federal grants and 

would end if the grants dried up. 
 New Mexico Tribal Traffic Safety Summit 

12

Current Programs 

• Some Tribal probation programs are working well and following offenders with active probation offices. 

• Traffic safety units provide capital outlay for vehicles and 

salary assistance funding. 

• A number of Tribes have child protection system (CPS) certified technicians to assist with access to and proper installation 

of child safety seats, etc. 

• SCRAM (Secure Continuous Remote Alcohol Monitor) units 

are being employed to monitor repeat offenders. 

Solutions and Action Steps 

• Identify and share best practices from other states. 

• Build inter-Tribal coalitions to share opportunities and leverage resources (financial, human, IT, etc.) 

• Improve information sharing and traffic records management 

systems. 

• Establish joint enforcement and prevention programs among 

Tribes and with counties. 

• Promote Tribal representation/participation in county 

programs. 

• Employ cross-commissioning and MOUs with District 

Attorneys. 

• Conduct cultural education with elders on Tribal, state, and 

Federal laws. 

• Provide more outreach to Tribes to educate them about grant 

availability, grant writing, etc. 

• Explore a wider variety of funding opportunities, U.S. 

Department of Justice Community-Oriented Policing Services 

(COPS) grants, homeland security, drug enforcement, etc. 

• Do more to publicize available training. 

• Provide Ticketing Aggressive Cars and Trucks (TACT) 

training to Tribes. 

• Explore methods for treating DWI as a mental health issue 

rather than automatic incarceration. 

• Employ red light running cameras. 
 New Mexico Tribal Traffic Safety Summit 

13

 Universal Data Issues 

Issues and Challenges 

• Some Tribes lack resources and the technology to capture, 

store, and disseminate data. 

• Tribes lack awareness and understanding about available 

technology, etc., and do not know how to use the different 

data systems. 

• Data is often collected without a clear understanding of the 

purpose; the data may not be used. 

• Different data is collected but not necessarily shared/

coordinated. 

• Duplication exists in data collection and analysis. 

• Different data records management systems have different, 

often incompatible, standards. 

• No central repository/data warehousing is available. 

• System improvements are slow to implement. 

• Privacy and security concerns hamper data sharing. 

• Mandates for sharing data between Tribes and the State are 

fragmented, with silos between law enforcement, courts, and 

correctional facilities. 

• Concerns exist about data accuracy, completeness, timeliness, 

and bias. 

• Gaps remain between data collection, interpretation, and 

action. 

Current Programs 

• Some jurisdictions have most of the data systems in place for 

collecting, sharing, and using data, 95-98 percent of crash 

data, and 80-95 percent of DWI data. 

• Good leadership support for data management has gotten 

efforts started, but additional effort is needed to develop 

additional new systems. 

• Some Tribes are entering intergovernmental agreements 

(IGA) with District Attorneys to prosecute offenders. 
 New Mexico Tribal Traffic Safety Summit 

14

Solutions and Action Steps 

• Develop some sort of checklist each tribe could use for selfassessment (as opposed to blanket statements about all tribes). 

• Collaborate with all 22 tribes on data improvement efforts. 

• Seek more Tribal participation in the State Traffic Records 

Coordinating Committee (TRCC) and in the IHS TRCC. 

• Seek a legislative mandate to increase resources for data collection and management. 

• Expand use of tools such as IGAs. 

• Create an incentive program for Tribes to collect and share 

data. 

• Provide technical assistance to Tribes in data interpretation/

analysis, mapping, etc. 

• Provide data training at multiple levels within Tribes. 

• Encourage support at the Tribal level, i.e., financial and other 

resource commitments. 
 New Mexico Tribal Traffic Safety Summit 

15

Moving Forward

This was the first Tribal traffic safety summit in New Mexico. 

The State is committed to take the next steps in pursuit of safer 

Tribal roadways. As emphasized at the beginning of the Summit 

and throughout, an important component of any future direction 

should be to continue to foster partnerships and multidisciplinary 

collaboration. NMDOT, BIA, NHTSA, and FHWA will use 

results from the Summit to guide continuing support for Tribal 

safety efforts. 

Tribes, along with Federal, state, and county partners, are encouraged to begin implementing the recommendations immediately. 

Participants will inform the Tribal Elders, leaders, and other 

safety stakeholders in their agencies and communities about the 

Summit results and lessons learned to determine future directions 

in transportation safety education, enforcement, infrastructure, 

and data. 

More information about resources available from the State, 

regional, and Federal partners involved in the Summit can be 

found at: 

NMDOT: http://www.wtsc.wa.gov 

BIA: www.doi.gov/bureau-indian-affairs.html 

NHTSA: http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov 

FHWA Office of Federal Lands Highway: 

http://flh.fhwa.dot.gov/programs/irr/safety/ 

FHWA Office of Safety: http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/ 
 New Mexico Tribal Traffic Safety Summit 

A-1 

Appendix A: Agenda
 New Mexico Tribal Traffic Safety Summit 

A-2