U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood Stepping Down
By Jan Withers | January 29, 2013 | Filed in: General , National President

MADD is extremely grateful for Secretary LaHood’s leadership and his commitment to issues of highway safety during his time in office. He has truly been a leader in drunk driving prevention by supporting MADD’s Campaign to Eliminate Drunk Driving and demonstrating a willingness to find long-term solutions to drunk driving, such as the Driver Alcohol Detection System for Safety (DADSS). I have had the pleasure of working with Secretary LaHood on numerous occasions, and he is always a tireless advocate for saving lives and preventing injuries on our nation’s roadways. We wish him continued success and happiness in the future, and we look forward to working closely with his successor to make our roads safer for American families.

David Strickland, Jan Withers and Ray LaHood

National Day of Service
By MADD | January 17, 2013 | Filed in: General

This Saturday, January 19th, is the National Day of Service.  President Obama and first lady Michelle Obama are asking Americans to find an event and serve with others in their community.  We hope you will use this National Day of Service to get in contact with your local MADD office to see how you can get more involved.

MADD’s wonderful volunteers help raise awareness about drunk driving and underage drinking, as well as provide the vital support to those victimized by drunk driving.  There are so many different ways you can get involved.

Here are a few examples of the types of volunteer opportunities with MADD:

• Become a trained victim advocate and provide emotional support to drunk driving victims/survivors as well as guide them through the criminal justice system.
• Work with MADD’s public policy department to strengthen existing laws and enact new ones. 
• Share your story at schools, civic groups, clubs and other organizations.
• Ensure that drunk driving offenders are punished to the fullest extent of the law by monitoring court cases and reporting outcomes to the community and media.

Whether you’re interested in volunteering a couple of times a year or a couple of times a week, there’s a place for you at MADD. And we have a wide variety of opportunities to match your interests and expertise.

President Obama and first lady Michelle Obama have chosen to make Saturday a special day of service to highlight volunteerism in the country, and we hope that you will use this day to find your place as a MADD volunteer.

Click here to find your local office and fill out the volunteer form for more information.

U.S. Supreme Court Hears Arguments in Missouri v McNeely
By MADD | January 14, 2013 | Filed in: Drunk Driving

The U.S. Supreme Court recently heard the case of Missouri v. McNeely, which involves a law enforcement officer ordering a blood draw on a suspected drunk driver without a search warrant.

Law enforcement is key to drunk driving prevention, and we need to ensure officers have the tools they need to enforce drunk driving laws — ultimately, making our roads safer.  That is why MADD supports testing the BAC for of any drunk driver where there is probable cause and submitted an amicus brief in support of the blood draw, saying that the state has a compelling state interest to prevent drunk driving.

After law enforcement has arrested a driver based on their performance during a standard field sobriety test, they have probable cause to obtain BAC evidence in as timely a manner as possible.  Because the body breaks down alcohol over time, it is imperative that this evidence is obtained as close to the arrest as possible to ensure the result is the most accurate depiction of the suspect’s BAC at the time of the alleged drunk driving offense.   Failure to obtain timely BAC evidence often results in a lack of conviction. 

Forcing officers to obtain a search warrant after probable cause has already been established gives drunk drivers continued motivation to refuse to submit these tests in the hope that the delay will give their body just enough time to process the alcohol and their lawyer just enough leverage to obtain an acquittal.  It is our hope that the Supreme Court will reinforce the importance of drunk driving as a compelling state interest and allow law enforcement to enforce our drunk driving laws by obtaining the best evidence available at the time of arrest—an accurate BAC. 

Why We're Here: Brian Wood
By MADD | January 9, 2013 | Filed in: Drugged Driving , Victim Stories

On September 3, 2010, Brian Wood was traveling with his wife Erin, who was 7 months pregnant with their first child, to Whidbey Island, Washington.  Brian saw a car heading towards them at about 50 mph in their lane.   Knowing that his car would be struck head on and wanting to protect his pregnant wife and unborn baby, Brian turned his car to the right so that he would take the brunt of the impact.  His action saved Erin and their child, but Brian did not survive the crash. Two passengers of the other vehicle were also killed.

Investigators at the scene found heroin, marijuana, syringes and other drug paraphernalia in the driver’s vehicle, and the driver admitted to smoking marijuana earlier that day.  She was charged with causing three deaths and injuries while driving in a reckless manner under the influence of drugs.

Brian’s father Ed Wood began his quest to promote effective laws to reduce drugged driving after hearing the offender’s defense attorney state that “it is not unlawful to drive with illegal drugs in your body.”  Ed has worked with experts at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the Governors Highway Safety Association, MADD and countless other groups as well as individual experts and consultants to become a recognized leader in promoting effective drug per se laws.  Ed also directs www.deceptionpass3.com, a network of drugged driving victims who join him in the effort to enact effective drugged driving legislation.

In recognition of his efforts, the White House’s Office of National Drug Control Policy has recognized Ed as an Advocate for Action. 

The Heart and Soul of MADD
By MADD | January 7, 2013 | Filed in: Victim Services

With the holidays being a difficult time for people coping with loss, and the fact that more people are killed in drunk driving crashes on New Year’s Day than any other day of the year, it’s no surprise that we see a significant increase in calls to MADD’s Victim/Survivor Helpline in January.

Victim Services is the heart of MADD.  We have more than 1,400 trained victim advocates nationwide who can help bereaved families and injured victims/survivors by:

• Providing emotional support
• Providing advocacy in the criminal and civil justice systems
• Accompanying victims/survivors to court
• Assisting in preparing a victim impact statement
• Referring victims/survivors to appropriate resources for additional help
• Offering support groups in many areas
• Connecting victims/survivors who share similar experiences
• Providing supportive materials on victimization topics

It may surprise you to know that many of MADD’s victim advocates are volunteers — caring individuals who spend their time making sure that victims can get the help they need, when they need it.  Some lost a loved one in a drunk driving crash and decided to put their tragic experience and acquired knowledge to use by helping others; others saw the need in their community and wanted to help.

Volunteers are the soul of MADD. It is their compassion and determination that drives the organization and it is their tireless efforts that have accomplished so much.  If you are interested in learning more about becoming a volunteer victim advocate, or to get more information about other volunteer opportunities, find your state here and fill out the volunteer form.