Anniversary of 21
By MADD | July 17, 2012 | Filed in: Power of Parents , Underage Drinking

Today, on its 28th anniversary, we celebrate the 21 Minimum Legal Drinking Age law, which has saved more than 25,000 lives and continues to prevent tragedies.

You may have heard a variety of arguments against the 21 Minimum Legal Drinking Age:  “Lowering the drinking age will encourage more responsible drinking”,   “Europeans let their kids drink at an early age, yet they do not have the alcohol-related problems we do”, and “if I’m old enough to go to war, I should be old enough to drink.”  But none of these are true.  Click here to see the facts behind these myths.

The age limit for alcohol is based on research which shows that young people react differently to alcohol.  Teens get drunk twice as fast as adults, but have more trouble knowing when to stop. Teens naturally overdo it and binge more often than adults.  Enforcing the legal drinking age of 21 reduces traffic crashes, protects young people’s maturing brains, and keeps young people safer overall.  Click here to find out more reasons to support 21.

But it takes more than a law to keep our kids safe.  Parents have the power to help kids make healthy decisions.  In fact, research shows that parents are the primary influence on their kids’ decisions about whether or not to drink alcohol.  That’s why MADD launched the Power of Parents™ program.  The goal of the 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 lifesaving conversations.

MADD knows that informed, caring parents can make a difference, and we’re here to help.   So today, in honor of the anniversary of the 21 drinking legal drinking age, talk with your kids about the dangers of underage drinking.  Start by visit the parent section of our website to get the handbook and other tips and expert resources for talking with your kids about alcohol.

MADD Celebrates Missouri’s Passage of Lifesaving Ignition Interlock Legislation
By MADD | July 11, 2012 | Filed in: Drunk Driving

Yesterday, Missouri Governor Jay Nixon signed into law a bill that requires all convicted drunk drivers use ignition interlocks on their vehicles to prevent future offenses. Missouri is the 17th state in the nation to require all drunk driving offenders use ignition interlocks and now more than 100 million people live in states with all-offender interlock laws, meaning we are one-third of the way to our goal of helping keep every American safer as a result of these lifesaving laws.

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.

Requiring all convicted drunk drivers to use ignition interlocks to prove they are sober before they can start their vehicles has been shown to save lives and stop drunk driving. In Arizona and Oregon, for example, 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.

Learn more about ignition interlocks and the Campaign to Eliminate Drunk Driving®.

MADD on The View
By MADD | July 3, 2012 | Filed in: Drunk Driving , Underage Drinking

This Thursday, MADD speakers Kathy Hernandez and Dani Simien will be featured on a segment of The View about underage drinking prevention.

Kathy and Dani have a unique relationship and a very impactful story to share. Kathy’s 19-year-old daughter, Casey, was an underage drunk driver who crashed into Dani on his way home from prom. Casey died and Dani is in a wheelchair as a result of the crash. Kathy and Dani now speak at schools and Victim Impact Panels together to share their story and encourage teens to not drink under the age of 21, and to never drink and drive.

Find out more about the show at theview.tv.

Congress Approves Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act
By MADD | July 2, 2012 | Filed in: Drunk Driving

We are excited to announce that Congress has approved the federal transportation legislation called Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century, or MAP-21. This legislation sets in motion a federal safety policy that could lead to the elimination of drunk driving as the leading cause of highway fatalities. 

The legislation includes bold new programs to encourages states to pass all offender ignition interlock laws. The science behind these laws has been clear for some time, showing that they reduce repeat offenses by two-thirds. Now, states will have a financial incentive, as well as a moral obligation to pass these lifesaving laws. Currently, 16 states have ignition interlock laws aimed at all convicted drunk drivers. 

In addition to ignition interlocks, the legislation authorizes the Driver Alcohol Detection System for Safety, or DADSS. Not only does it guarantee the research for this project will continue to take place, it also has the potential to greatly accelerate lifesaving technology from the lab to the showroom where it can protect our families. Learn more about DADSS.

Also in line with MADD's Campaign to Eliminate Drunk Driving, the legislation continues funding for NHTSA's high visibility traffic safety law enforcement campaigns, which have proved to be successful. This is especially important over holiday weekends like the Fourth of July when drunk driving rates are higher. 

MAP-21 is a historic opportunity to advance highway safety because we now have congressional approval on a blueprint for our nation to eliminate drunk driving. MADD thanks Senators Jay Rockefeller, Barbara Boxer, Tom Udall, Frank Lautenberg, and Bob Corker along with Representatives John Mica, Shelley Moore Capito, John Sarbanes, and Heath Shuler for championing this legislation.

*UPDATED 7/6/2012*

At 4:55 EST on July 6, 2012, President Obama will sign the Moving Ahead for the 21st Century Act (MAP-21) at a White House ceremony.

Plan Ahead this 4th of July Holiday
By MADD | July 2, 2012 | Filed in: Drunk Driving

Celebrating our nation’s birthday should be a fun and festive event that brings together friends and family to enjoy cookouts, fireworks and time by the pool… but all too often it turns tragic. The Fourth of July holiday is one of the deadliest holidays of the year because of drunk driving crashes.

In 2010, 392 people were killed on our nation’s roadways during the Fourth of July holiday, 39 percent of which involved at least one driver with a BAC of .08 or higher. There is an even higher number of fatalities among young drivers—during the 2010 Fourth of July holiday period, 50 percent of young drivers (18 to 34 years old) killed in motor vehicle traffic crashes had a BAC of .08 or higher.

While these fatalities are devastating, they are 100% preventable. Planning ahead does not mean you can’t still have fun, it means taking responsibility and making a decision to keep you, your loved ones and everyone else on the road safe. Decide how you will get home BEFORE drinking alcohol this Fourth of July, and encourage everyone around you to do the same. And remember, even if you make the choice to drive safe and sober, others may not. So drive with caution and always wear your seatbelt.

What are your plans to get home safely this Fourth of July holiday?