A Heartbreaking Anniversary
Seventeen years ago, Mike Dean, the husband of MADD National President, Laura Dean-Mooney and father to her infant daughter was killed by a drunk driver on a Texas road. Out of that tragedy, Laura Dean-Mooney became an advocate for stronger drunk driving laws and the implementation of ignition interlock technology for convicted DUI offenders that might prevent another family from experiencing the devastating pain and loss caused by a drunk driving crash.
Mike & Laura's Story
It was November 1991 and Laura and Mike Dean, both native Texans, were living in Colorado at the time. Mike was back in Texas visiting family after a business trip to Oklahoma. Laura was home with their 8-month-old daughter. The Deans were practically newlyweds – married just two and a half years – filled with dreams for the future and excited about all the experiences that life would now offer their family of three.
At 7:15 p.m. on November 21, 1991, those dreams were altered forever.
A highly impaired drunk driver going the wrong way on a North Texas highway met Mike’s car head on, killing the 32-year-old instantly and simultaneously making Laura both a grieving young widow and single mother. The offender, who died at the crash scene, had a BAC of .34 and was driving with an almost empty bottle of Jim Beam in his crushed Cadillac.
Mike never had a chance to say goodbye to his wife, his mother, his grandparents, his friends. And he would never experience his daughter’s first Thanksgiving, first Christmas, first birthday.
Thanksgiving came just one week after Mike’s tragic – and preventable – death. But for Laura, there was little to celebrate that year and the idea of being thankful for anything was unbearable.
From Tragedy to Advocacy
Slowly, Laura awoke from her immense grief. She moved back to Texas with her young daughter and made a donation to a local chapter of MADD, to support public policy laws, with some of the money she earned from the crash settlement. Eventually, her involvement with MADD grew. She became active with the Brazos County chapter, earned a position on the state board and was elected state chairperson in 2000.
After moving to Florida in 2001, she continued volunteering for MADD and served as president of the Central Florida chapter. She was elected to the national board of directors in 2002 and began serving a three-year term as MADD National President in July 2008.
A Mission and a Campaign
For the past 15 years, Laura has worked steadfastly to change the laws in both Texas and Florida. Now as National President of the organization, she will continue to work for enforceable laws in all 50 states to end the preventable tragedy of drunk driving through the Campaign to Eliminate Drunk Driving, which calls for
- Ignition interlocks for all convicted drunk drivers;
- High-visibility law enforcement including sobriety checkpoints;
- Development of technology that separates the drunk driver from the car; and
- Public support from concerned citizens nationwide led by MADD, its affiliates and members
Laura Dean-Mooney will return to her roots for the upcoming Texas legislative session, as she works with lawmakers to pass legislation requiring ignition interlocks for all convicted drunk drivers. She'll also be urging lawmakers to support sobriety checkpoints, which are still not allowed Texas, one of only 10 states that prohibit them.
Drunk Driving in Texas
- In 2007, 1,292 people were killed by a drunk driver with a BAC of .08 or greater
- There are 124,662 drivers with three or more drunk driving convictions
- There are 18,271 drivers with five or more drunk driving convictions
- A single individual has been convicted of DUI 22 times
Take Action 
You too, can make a difference in the Campaign to Eliminate Drunk Driving. During the months of November and December, Tie One On for Safety – tie a red MADD ribbon on your vehicle that is, or affix a red decal – and pledge to drive sober during the holiday season.
Sign the Pledge to Eliminate Drunk Driving.
Donate now in support of MADD’s lifesaving work.
Contact your lawmakers and urge them to support ignition interlocks for all convicted drunk drivers.