NHTSA Update

The impacts of the 111 native individuals killed in Indian Country in 2021 in alcohol related crashes are magnified by their cultural impact. Considering the genocidal efforts directed to the indigenous population of this country, in order to survive, American Indian tribes have had to adapt, while remaining true to tribal customs and traditions. “Tribal systems … are not static in the sense that they do not allow or accept change. Even a cursory examination of tribal systems will show that they have all undergone massive changes while retaining those characteristics of outlook and experience that are the bedrock of tribal life” (P.G. Allen 1986, 63).

This “bedrock of tribal life” has to be passed on to new generations. Every impaired driving related death in Indian Country then represents the loss of an individual who can preserve the cultural fiber of their communities: language, stories, art, all of the components that make tribal life unique. Therefore, we must rededicate ourselves to reducing the number of impaired driving fatalities to zero.

As we begin a new year, we can all think about the countermeasures we can take to eliminate impaired country in Indian Country. Some are as easy as increasing communication and sharing what the evidence suggests are the best practices. Another is becoming familiar with the data. You can look at all of the NHTSA crash data for Native Americans from 2017-2021 online. Others are harder, particularly those that require funding, but we owe it to “the bedrock of tribal life” to keep working.