First, the Crash – Then the Lifelong Impact
By MADD | May 10, 2013 | Filed in: Drunk Driving , Victim Services

An anniversary recognizes how far one has come—some call for celebration while others serve as a line drawn in the sand. This month, our nation recognizes the 25th anniversary of the Carrollton, Kentucky, bus crash, the most deadly alcohol-related crash in U.S. history. The tragedy remains a heartbreaking reminder of a senseless crime but also serves as a symbol of the shift in our understanding of victim advocacy and marks the beginning of the concept of “crisis response.”

On May 14, 1988, a repeat DUI offender with a .24 percent blood alcohol concentration (BAC), heading the wrong way down the highway in a pickup truck, slammed into a bus that was returning from a church trip to Kings Island Amusement Park. The fiery crash killed 24 children, the bus driver and two adult chaperones, and injured 34 others.

The majority of American communities are not prepared for a crisis nor are they aware of the resources available to them. That is why MADD is hopeful that the upcoming release of a new feature documentary outlining the horrific Carrollton bus crash will renew attention to the need for a crisis response plan in all communities. IMPACT: After the Crash tells the story of the lives lost on that fateful day as well as the impact on our nation’s understanding of mass casualty and crisis response.  Despite all the progress, there is still much work to be done. 

Read the rest on this article from the Winter 2012 MADDvocate, here.

Mother’s Day
By MADD | May 8, 2013 | Filed in: General , Victim Services

Mother’s Day is a special holiday at MADD, since we were founded by a mother whose daughter was killed by a drunk driver. But as we all know, it’s not just mothers who are impacted by drunk driving; fathers, children, sisters, brothers, aunts, uncles, grandparents and friends can all be victimized by the traumatic death or injury of a loved one. 

MADD Victim Services offers a wide selection of brochures for crash victims, available in English and Spanish, covering grief and healing, talking to children and teens about death, coping with serious injury, the criminal and civil court system, and other topics of interest.  You can find that information here.

If you are struggling with grief this Mother's Day, please know MADD is here for you. Our 24/7 Help Line is available at no charge at 877.MADD.HELP (632.3435). You can also read our Holiday Grief Tips to find suggestions for people experiencing bereavement and/or injury for coping during a holiday.

MADD wishes everyone a safe and happy Mother’s Day.

2013-2014 National Teen Influencer Group
By MADD | May 7, 2013 | Filed in: Underage Drinking

MADD is looking for outstanding teens who want to use their power to take a stand against underage drinking and be a part of MADD’s National Teen Influencer Group.  Teens selected to be a part of the National Teen Influencer Group will be an important part of the Power or You(th) program.  As a member of the Teen Influencer Group, teens will:

• Participate in conference calls with other teens and MADD leadership throughout the year to provide valuable input on teen programs
• Participate, as needed, in projects to empower teens across America to take a stand against underage drinking, i.e. working groups, events, media interviews
• Engage teens through social media, such as submitting a guest blog (click here to see an example)

We are accepting applications online now, through June 30th for the 2013-2014 National Teen Influencer Group. Help us spread the word to teens that are involved in significant underage drinking prevention work in your community.

2012-2013 National Teen Influencer Group

MADD Supports Children’s Mental Health
By MADD | May 6, 2013 | Filed in: Power of Parents , Underage Drinking

Underage alcohol use and mental health issues often go hand in hand.  We know that teens with certain mental health issues, like antisocial personality disorder or weak belief in their own ability to resist social pressure, are significantly more likely to drink.  Likewise, there are very few mental health problems that underage drinking can’t make worse, like low self-esteem, depression, deviant behaviors, and even thoughts of suicide.

You could look at this as a negative spiral, but the good news is that it’s also a positive one – if you can prevent underage drinking, you can help teen mental health, and vice versa.  That’s why MADD is proud to support National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day on May 9^th.

On Awareness Day, SAMHSA (the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) works to raise awareness about the importance of children’s mental health.  MADD is working through our Power of Parents program to provide parents and guardians tools and resources to help them build a better relationship with their teens on the firm grounds of mutual respect, open communication and shared expectations.

We are also working with teens through the Power of You(th) program, giving them the tools to help their friends stay happy, healthy and alcohol-free.  This fits right into Awareness Day, where SAMHSA focuses on how social connections help young people thrive in later life.

If you want more information about Children's Mental Health, including materials and resources and getting involved in Awareness Day, visit www.samhsa.gov/children.  

The Campaign to Eliminate Drunk Driving and You: A Winning Combination
By MADD | May 2, 2013 | Filed in: Drunk Driving

This year marks the seventh anniversary of MADD’s Campaign to Eliminate Drunk Driving.  Thank you to all of MADD’s volunteers, victim/survivors and supporters for helping to make it the premier grassroots campaign in the nation.   

The Campaign was built on MADD’s prior research-based successes, including advocating for a national .08 BAC standard.  It supports high visibility law enforcement efforts to deter drunk driving, seeks to ensure all convicted drunk drivers receive an ignition interlock device, and supports the development of new technologies like DADSS (Driver Alcohol Detection System for Safety) that will one day stop drunk drivers from starting vehicles. 

Thanks to your support, we’ve made tremendous progress in the fight against drunk driving. Today we can celebrate that:

• Seventeen states now require interlocks for all DUI offenders, up from only one state in 2006.
• Over 100 million people are now protected by these lifesaving interlock laws.
• Research and development funding for the DADSS project has been doubled from $10 million to just over $20 million.
• The U.S. Congress has passed legislation authorizing and funding all components of the Campaign. Learn more here.
• NHTSA, the NFL, the NTSB, AAA, and every other major safety group have now endorsed the components of the campaign, including interlocks for all convicted drunk drivers (.08 and above) and funding for the technologies that will eliminate drunk driving.
• 3,600 fewer people were killed in 2011 than when we startedthe Campaign in 2006.

The Campaign was created to eliminate drunk driving in America, and as you can see it’s working.  We are keeping our eye on the prize: a nation where drunk driving exists only in the history books. 

Your support has made this possible. You and others in the MADD family have sent tens of thousands of emails to federal and state legislators that have helped sway opinions and save lives.  Your unwavering support of MADD keeps us going every day.  But our work is not done yet, and we plan to stay focused and reach our goal to rid our nation of this violent crime, until there are no more future victims. 

Check out what you’ve helped accomplish:

If your state doesn’t yet have an interlock law, let your legislators know what you think here.