Federal Spending Bill Boosts MADD’s Campaign to Eliminate Drunk Driving
By MADD | March 21, 2013| 3 Comments | Filed in: Drunk Driving , General

MADD is pleased to announce that Congress has provided full federal funding for the three components of MADD’s Campaign. We couldn’t have done this without the voices of MADD supporters across the country who have been emailing and calling Congress ever since our National Conference Lobby Day in September. Your voices have paid off and will lead to a nation without drunk driving.

The spending bill allows over $50 million for aspects of the Campaign, including:

  • $29 million for three annual high visibility “crackdowns.”  Two of these crackdowns are the twice yearly Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaigns, which are key to supporting law enforcement efforts to keep drunk drivers off the road.  The other is for Click It or Ticket, the seat belt campaign, which also helps reduce drunk driving fatalities, since a seat belt is the best defense against a drunk driver.
  • $20 million dollars for states that pass an all-offender ignition interlock law.  Right now, 17 states require interlocks for all offenders.  These lifesaving devices reduce drunk driving by two-thirds while on offenders’ vehicles.  This funding, through incentive grants, will encourage more states to save lives with interlocks.
  • $5 million dollars for advanced anti-drunk driving technology.  The advanced technology project, known as the Driver Alcohol Detection System for Safety, or DADSS, is part of a cooperative agreement between federal government and the world’s leading automotive companies.  This is the technology that will eventually eliminate drunk driving by making cars that will fail to operate if the driver is impaired.  This funding will aid this vital research.

Grants will also be available to states to address other key areas of highway safety, including distracted driving, occupant protection, motorcycle safety, traffic records and improving graduated driver licensing laws.

We thank you for your support and ask that you join us to celebrate another milestone in our efforts to eliminate drunk driving, once and for all.


   

Comments

Submitted by Grandma at 03:54 PM on March 25, 2013
Want to drink & drive - just get arrested in Howard County, MD. Today the court decided to defer sentencing till July for my granddaughter's father. He was told if he completes an alcohol program, he will receive a PBJ. This is his 3rd DUI/DWI. In March 2008 he was charged with DWI. IN July of that year the case was Nolle Pros. ( the arresting officer was deployed to Iraq) On Superbowl Sunday 2012 he crashed his car,arrested with multiple charges including DWI , pled guilty and was fined only. Arrested again 3 months layer (May 2012). Again multiple charges including DWI & eluding police. Arrested again November 2012 - driving on suspended license. Now today he is told he'll get PBJ if he attends ETOH program. Are we waiting for him to kill my granddaughter? How can anyone possibly be surprised that deaths associated with drunk driving are on the rise in Maryland. Shame on this officer of the court.
Submitted by maddmomma at 02:27 PM on March 21, 2013
Hard work pays off..
Submitted by JoeColorado at 10:20 AM on March 21, 2013
I am disappointed. More money should be going to the DADSS technology project. After all, drivers who have been convicted of driving while intoxicated can still drive a vehicle which has not been equipped with an ignition interlock law (either by borrowing, theft or some other means). I applaud the crackdowns--more of these should take place throughout the year.

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