MADD - Archives

The Knoxville News Sentinel recently featured an article about Phaedra Marriott-Olson, MADD Tennessee Program Specialist and drunk driving crash survivor.

In May of 1996, the car Phaedra was driving was hit head on when a driver with a .08 BAC crossed the centerline into oncoming traffic. Phaedra spent five and a half weeks on life support after the crash that left her paralyzed. At the time, the legal limit to drive in Missouri was .10, so the driver was not charged with a DUI.

Phaedra did not waste any time turning her tragedy into a positive message. Even from her hospital bed she worked to put an end to drunk driving by allowing students to visit her hospital room to see first-hand the effects of drinking and driving.

Today, 21 surgeries later, Phaedra works full time for MADD Tennessee working with youth, giving parents the tools to talk to their teens about the dangers of underage drinking, and teaching death notification to law enforcement officers.

Jan Withers says it best: “Phaedra is an inspiration to me and many others who have been victimized by impaired driving. She has turned her trauma into reaching out and helping others.”

Read the full article from The Knoxville News Sentinel.

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2012 Lifesavers National Conference
By Jan Withers | June 14, 2012 | Filed in: Drunk Driving , National President

Earlier today I gave the keynote address at the 30th Anniversary Lifesavers Conference on Highway Safety Priorities in Orlando. The Lifesavers conference is the largest gathering of highway safety professional in the U.S., so it was a great opportunity to share my story and talk about how we need to renew the focus of proven traffic safety solutions, including MADD’s Campaign to Eliminate Drunk Driving.

I also used this opportunity to announce that MADD plans to reach out to many of the traffic safety groups to formulate the traffic safety summit. We’ve seen some states make great progress, but others have been backsliding, so we must take a comprehensive approach and focus on the countermeasures that will help use our safety resources in the most cost-beneficial way.

Read the transcripts of my speech or the press release online now.

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MADD Calls on New York Assembly to Advance DWI Reform
By MADD | June 12, 2012 | Filed in: Drunk Driving

MADD and the father behind Leandra’s Law, Lenny Rosado, are calling on the New York State Assembly to advance S 6636/A 9544, sponsored by Senator Charles Fuschillo and Assemblyman Harvey Weisenberg. Passage of this important legislation would improve Leandra’s Law by increasing ignition interlock compliance rates.

Leandra’s Law was signed in 2009, making driving drunk with a child passenger a felony, and requiring ignition interlocks for all convicted drunk drivers. However, due to loopholes in the state’s current drunk driving law, only one third of DWI offenders in New York have had an interlock installed since August 2010.

Throughout the U.S., 16 states (including New York) require ignition interlocks for all convicted drunk drivers. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, ignition interlocks save lives and reduce drunk driving repeat offenses by 67 percent.

New York residents: Contact your lawmakers today in support of strengthening Leandra’s Law.

For more information on MADD’s Campaign to Eliminate Drunk Driving®, which includes requiring ignition interlocks for all convicted drunk drivers, visit www.madd.org/campaign.

*UPDATED 6/13/2012*

Yesterday, the Assembly Transportation Committee failed to advance S 6636/A 9544, despite strong support from the full Assembly.

MADD implores New York Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver to advance pending legislation to strengthen Leandra’s Law and save lives. The Speaker’s action is especially critical for victims like Lenny Rosado and for the citizens of New York who deserve to be protected from repeat drunk driving offenders.

If you live in New York, please contact your lawmakers now. It's quick and easy, and you can help save lives in New York.

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I’m a Mom for DADSS
By Jan Withers | June 8, 2012 | Filed in: Drunk Driving

Yesterday, I had the pleasure of visiting the lab where they are researching the end of drunk driving. And once again, I became a mom for DADSS.

Driver Alcohol Detection System for Safety, DADSS for short, is our hope for the future to ELIMINATE drunk driving. Two prototypes of advanced technology are being studied. One is touched-based and one is breath-based.

While more research needs to be done, both technologies are working toward the goal of accurately and precisely detecting how much alcohol is in the driver’s system. In all 50 states, a legally drunk driver—someone with a .08 BAC or higher—would not be able to operate the vehicle if this technology comes to fruition.

This is exciting, but more importantly, it is happening. DADSS has surpassed expectations and has entered into phase two of research. We will see this in our lifetime and I got to see it with my own eyes.

Unfortunately, current funding for this research program will end in 2013, but I have worked with our public policy team in Washington to include funding for DADSS in the new Senate transportation bill. We now look to the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee to also support the funding as the bill moves forward. If the House does not act, the future of DADSS will be unclear. To me, that means thousands of people will die at the hands of drunk drivers before Congress sees fit to protect us by funding this research again.

Congressman Mica is Chairman of this committee. Please click here and ask your member of congress to tell Chairman Mica to agree with the Senate and fund DADSS research in the next highway bill.

DADSS has the potential to eliminate drunk driving in America. We must do everything we can to ensure this project receives funding for phase three.

MADD's Board of Directors and Senior Leadership touring the DADSS research facility.

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Featured Event: Fort Lauderdale Walk Like MADD and MADD Dash
By MADD | June 5, 2012 | Filed in: General

On Sunday, May 6th 2012, over 600 participants gathered in Huizenga Plaza in downtown Fort Lauderdale for the third annual Walk Like MADD^®. The Fort Lauderdale Walk is unique because along with the traditional, non-competitive 5K Walk, they have a corresponding 5K MADD Dash. Sponsored by Maroone and presented by Ultimate Software, the 5K walk and dash raised more than $84,000, surpassing their original goal by over $15,000!

Great fun was had by all the participants who spent the morning enjoying a wide variety of activities including a kids zone, vendor fair, live music and of course great food. Local law enforcement agencies supported the festivities with displays that included a seat belt convincer as well as having the bat mobile on hand for people to see. Each walker and runner were provided a goodie bag with many fun filled items supplied by sponsors to help them remember the event.

Over 80 volunteers helped to make this event a great success, and we could not have done it without all of their hard work and commitment to putting on a first class experience for our guests. A special thanks goes out to the Walk Committee Chairperson Heather Geronemus, who pulled the whole thing together for the second year in a row and insured the event’s success.