Sweet 16
By MADD | March 9, 2012 | Filed in: Drunk Driving

On Thursday, Virginia Governor, Bob McDonnell, signed a new ignition interlock bill, making Virginia the 16th state to require ignition interlock devices for all convicted drunk drivers.  Thank you to Governor McDonnell and the bill’s sponsor, Delegate Salvatore Iaquinto for recognizing the impact that ignition interlocks can have on the safety of our roads.

Currently, 16 states and a California pilot program require ignition interlocks for all convicted drunk drivers—Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Kansas, Louisiana, Nebraska, New York, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Virginia and Washington.

Ignition Interlock devices are a key component of the Campaign to Eliminate Drunk Driving®.  After passing laws requiring ignition interlock devices for all offenders in Oregon and Arizona, those states saw drunk driving deaths decrease by 52 and 51 percent, respectively.  Read more about ignition interlock devices.

Thank you, Virginia, for getting MADD to sweet 16!

We look forward to the day when all 50 states pass similar lifesaving legislation.  Here is how you can help make that happen:

1. Contact your state legislators if your state does not require ignition interlocks for all convicted drunk drivers.
2. Make a donation to help MADD push for stronger laws in legislatures all around the county.
3. Help turn cars into the cure for drunk driving by contacting your federal legislators and asking them to cosponsor the ROADS SAFE act.

Study of Washington Drivers Shows Interlocks Reduce Repeat Offenses
By MADD | March 6, 2012 | Filed in: Drunk Driving

A new study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) supports mandatory installation of ignition interlocks on the vehicles of all drunk drivers, including first-time offenders, a key component of the Campaign to Eliminate Drunk Driving®.  Researchers for the IIHS study examined the driving records of convicted drunk drivers in Washington State, and found that the recidivism rate fell 12 percent among those affected by the law expansion. The IIHS estimates that if all Washington DUI offenders had the interlocks installed at the time of the study, the recidivism rate would have been reduced by nearly half.

There are currently 15 states throughout the U.S. that require ignition interlocks for all convicted drunk drivers. In Arizona and Oregon, laws requiring ignition interlocks for all convicted drunk drivers have contributed significantly to the number of drunk driving deaths dropping 51 and 52 percent, respectively.

Studies show that a first-time convicted drunk driver is not a first-time offender, but rather it is simply the first time they have been caught. In fact, first-time offenders have driven drunk an average of 80 times before they are convicted.

More than 10,000 people are killed and another 350,000 are injured in drunk driving crashes each year in the U.S.   This IIHS study confirms that requiring all convicted drunk drivers to use an ignition interlock has the power to save lives and prevent injuries across the country.  MADD urges states to follow in Washington’s footsteps and enact this lifesaving legislation.

For more information about ignition interlocks and MADD’s Campaign to Eliminate Drunk Driving, visit www.madd.org/campaign.

Why We're Here: ShiAnn Robinson
By MADD | March 5, 2012 | Filed in: Drunk Driving , Victim Services , Victim Stories

On April 29, 2000, Amie Jo picked up her two and a half year old daughter, ShiAnn, from the babysitters, and planned on running the typical daily errands before her weekly play date with a friend.  But that day would turn out to be anything but typical.

While driving to their friend’s house, ShiAnn and Amie Jo were singing, laughing and enjoying the spring day, until Amie Joe saw a truck heading straight for them.  Despite a desperate attempt to get out of the way, her car was hit by the truck, forcing it to roll several times.  Amie Jo reached back to try to brace ShiAnn from the impact, but was unable to reach her.

When the car came to a stop, she could hear was her daughter screaming, and saw ShiAnn covered in blood from the multiple cuts on her face; the car seat was in pieces.

ShiAnn was careflighted to Children’s Hospital of Dallas where she was immediately taken into surgery, and placed on life support.  After three and a half weeks, Amy Jo had to make a decision that no parent should ever have to make—to take her sweet baby off the machines that were keeping her alive–and on May 24th, ShiAnn died on from her injuries.

To make matters worse, the drunk driver, a repeat offender on probation for a previous DUI, fled the scene.  He was later found, but released on bail and ran for two years before being captured.   At the time of the crash, the driver had an ignition interlock installed in his truck.  Unbelievably, his wife blew into it for him, allowing him to drive drunk and kill an innocent child.   

Despite the amount of grief and turmoil Amie Jo has been through, she continues to honor her daughter.  She is now an active member and volunteer with MADD East Texas, telling her story at MADD Victim Impact Panels® and participating in Walk Like MADD®.  Amie Jo says, “This is hard to cope with, but my love for my daughter keeps me strong and with the help from the people at MADD, I can share ShiAnn’s story and let it be known that this has to stop.”

Power of Parents, It’s Your Influence
By MADD | March 4, 2012 | Filed in: Power of Parents , Underage Drinking

Parental influence is the most important factor in helping keep teens safe.  That’s why MADD launched the Power of Parents, It’s Your Influence® program.  The goal of this program is to educate parents about the dangers of underage drinking and give them the tools they need to start talking with their kids about alcohol.  The program has two major parts:

1. A website for parents that includes information and tips based on the best available research, along with access to a free parent handbook.
2. Free parent workshops to equip parents with strategies for having these potentially life-saving conversations.

The Power of Parents program can reach parents across the country with its proven strategies to help reduce underage drinking by as much as 30 percent.  In fact, in 2011, MADD reached one parent every thirty minutes to help them talk with their teen about alcohol.

April 21, PowerTalk 21® day, is the national day for parents to start talking with their kids about alcohol.   Each year, we focus on reaching as many parents as possible, with the vision that April 21st will become widely known as the day to talk about kids and alcohol.  In preparation for PowerTalk21, parents can get tips and conversation starters, download the parent handbook and find a free 30-minute parent workshop at www.madd.org/powertalk21.

MADD knows that informed, caring parents can make a difference, and we’re here to help.  Together, we can save lives that might otherwise be lost as a result of underage drinking.

MADD Appoints Debbie Weir as Chief Executive Officer
By MADD | March 2, 2012 | Filed in: General

We are excited to announce that Debbie Weir has been named MADD's new Chief Executive Officer.  Debbie joined MADD in 2002 as the Vice President of Victims Services, providing support and guidance to the MADD field and to drunk driving victims. Under her leadership, the number of victims MADD serves each year has more than doubled—now serving one victim every nine minutes. Debbie also created and launched the 1-877-MADD-HELP victim support line where specialists are available 24-hours-a-day to answer calls and provide emotional support.

In 2005, Debbie was promoted to Chief Operating Officer where she oversaw field operations, fundraising, volunteer and program development, in addition to victim advocacy and support.

"I am honored by the opportunity to lead MADD, which has achieved so much in changing the way our country looks at traffic fatality and injury prevention by showing that there are real people behind the statistics,” Debbie said.  "With a focus on advocating for proven data-based countermeasures, our staff and volunteers, some of whom are victims and survivors of drunk driving crashes, have helped save hundreds of thousands of lives, and our ongoing Campaign to Eliminate Drunk Driving and underage drinking prevention programs will help us save even more lives."

"Debbie knows the heart and soul of what makes MADD work," said MADD National President Jan Withers, who lost a 15-year-old daughter in a drunk driving/underage drinking crash and serves as the organization's principal spokesperson. "Her compassion and dedication to victims and to the pursuit of eliminating drunk driving fatalities are a perfect fit."

For more information you can read the full press release or Debbie’s bio.