WASHINGTON, DC (July 16, 2008) – MADD’s newly elected National President testified today on the necessary steps Congress and the country must take in order save the nearly 13,500 lives lost every year to drunk driving.

Speaking before the U.S. House of Representatives Subcommittee on Highways and Transit, Laura Dean-Mooney outlined MADD’s Campaign to Eliminate Drunk Driving, which is built upon proven techniques to reduce and, ultimately, eliminate drunk driving.

The Campaign to Eliminate Drunk Driving calls for mandatory alcohol ignition interlocks to be installed on vehicles of all convicted drunk drivers, intensive, high-visibility enforcement efforts such as sobriety checkpoints and saturation patrols, the exploration of advanced technologies that will one day make cars inoperable by drunk drivers and the mobilization of MADD’s grassroots to generate public support.

Currently, MADD is working to pass state legislation requiring alcohol ignition interlocks for all convicted drunk drivers. Dean-Mooney testified on MADD’s support for substantial incentive grants for states that pass legislation requiring interlocks on all first time offenders with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of at least .08.

“The time for widespread adoption by states of ignition interlock laws for all convicted drunk drivers has come. Anyone who violates the public trust and drives drunk 27 years after everyone knows the consequences has earned the right for an alcohol ignition interlock device to be installed on their vehicle,” said Dean-Mooney.

Since the Campaign launched in 2006, eight states have mandated interlocks for all convicted drunk drivers and six states mandate for those at .15 BAC or higher. Thirty three of the 36 remaining states have discretionary laws, which are proven ineffective because they are rarely used. The other three have no interlock law – a big problem in those states. Studies show that alcohol ignition interlocks can reduce repeat drunk driving offenses by an average of 65 percent.

Dean-Mooney also spoke about underage drinking and the need to preserve the lifesaving standard of a 21 minimum drinking age. “There are some who continue to advocate lowering the drinking age back to 18. Data is unequivocal that the earlier youth drink, the more likely they are to become alcohol dependent later in life and to drive drunk,” stated Dean-Mooney.

Laura Dean-Mooney became involved with MADD after her husband, Mike Dean, was killed by a drunk driver leaving her to raise their 8-month old daughter alone. He was killed on November 21, 1991, when a drunk driver going the wrong way on a Texas highway met his car head on, killing him instantly. Dean-Mooney came to MADD after her husband’s death in an effort to spare other families the tragedy that she had to endure. MADD’s Campaign to Eliminate Drunk Driving offers that promise.

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