Delanie Walker Teams Up with MADD
By MADD | March 26, 2013 | Filed in: Drunk Driving

Delanie Walker with Alice and Bryan Young (Photo courtesy of Delanie Walker)

Less than 24 hours after playing in the Super Bowl, former San Francisco 49er and now Tennessee Titan, Delanie Walker learned that his aunt and uncle, Alice and Bryan Young, had been killed. The Youngs were returning home after watching their nephew play in the Super Bowl in New Orleans. They were stopped on the side of the road when they were rear-ended by an alleged drunk driver.  Both vehicles caught on fire, and Alice and Bryan died at the scene.  The drunk driver sustained only minor injuries.

"This happens so much and now it's really hit home for me. I just want to make people more aware through my story," Walker said.

Walker has resolved to honor his relatives' memory. On March 17^th, he hosted an event at a local restaurant where he signed pictures, MADD t-shirts, fan paraphernalia and jerseys to help raise awareness and funds for MADD.  Delanie will also be participating in the San Francisco Bay Area Walk Like MADD on May 11^th.  You can join his team or make a donation to support them here.
 
As we always say, drunk driving doesn’t discriminate.  It doesn’t matter if you are a NFL football player or just a football fan, anyone can become a victim.  It’s great to see Delanie use his visibility to honor his loved ones and bring awareness to the fight against drunk driving.

Delanie Walker at MADD signing event

Federal Spending Bill Boosts MADD’s Campaign to Eliminate Drunk Driving
By MADD | March 21, 2013 | Filed in: Drunk Driving , General

MADD is pleased to announce that Congress has provided full federal funding for the three components of MADD’s Campaign. We couldn’t have done this without the voices of MADD supporters across the country who have been emailing and calling Congress ever since our National Conference Lobby Day in September. Your voices have paid off and will lead to a nation without drunk driving.

The spending bill allows over $50 million for aspects of the Campaign, including:

• $29 million for three annual high visibility “crackdowns.”  Two of these crackdowns are the twice yearly Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaigns, which are key to supporting law enforcement efforts to keep drunk drivers off the road.  The other is for Click It or Ticket, the seat belt campaign, which also helps reduce drunk driving fatalities, since a seat belt is the best defense against a drunk driver.

• $20 million dollars for states that pass an all-offender ignition interlock law.  Right now, 17 states require interlocks for all offenders.  These lifesaving devices reduce drunk driving by two-thirds while on offenders’ vehicles.  This funding, through incentive grants, will encourage more states to save lives with interlocks.

• $5 million dollars for advanced anti-drunk driving technology.  The advanced technology project, known as the Driver Alcohol Detection System for Safety, or DADSS, is part of a cooperative agreement between federal government and the world’s leading automotive companies.  This is the technology that will eventually eliminate drunk driving by making cars that will fail to operate if the driver is impaired.  This funding will aid this vital research.

Grants will also be available to states to address other key areas of highway safety, including distracted driving, occupant protection, motorcycle safety, traffic records and improving graduated driver licensing laws.

We thank you for your support and ask that you join us to celebrate another milestone in our efforts to eliminate drunk driving, once and for all.

NFL Endorses MADD’s Campaign to Eliminate Drunk Driving®
By MADD | March 19, 2013 | Filed in: Drunk Driving

Yesterday at their annual league meeting in Phoenix, the National Football League (NFL) announced their emphatic support for MADD’s Campaign to Eliminate Drunk Driving.  The Campaign is based on proven strategies and research which will reduce and eventually eliminate drunk driving.  The Campaign includes:

• Supporting high visibility law enforcement activities to catch drunk drivers and discourage others from driving drunk.
• Requiring ignition interlock devices, or in-car breathalyzers, for all convicted drunk drivers, including first-time offenders, to prove they are sober before their car will start. When a convicted drunk driver wishes to start his or her vehicle, he or she must first blow into the device. The vehicle will not start unless the driver’s Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) is below a preset level.
• Supporting the development of advanced vehicle technology that could automatically determine a driver’s BAC and stop a drunk driver above the legal limit of .08 from driving.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell made the announcement stating, “We are pleased to endorse MADD’s campaign and further build upon our partnership to do everything we can to warn players, team personnel and fans about the dangers of drunk driving.  We have made progress but have more work to do to ensure that everyone associated with the NFL makes safe, responsible decisions with alcohol and never gets behind the wheel when they shouldn’t.”

MADD and the NFL began their partnership in 2010.  It includes game day designated driver programs in 11 stadiums, player education and other awareness activities.  New for 2013, the NFL plans on convening an alcohol-related summit this year in conjunction with MADD that will include NFL players, coaches, team doctors and executives, counselors, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).

We thank the NFL for showing their support of MADD’s Campaign as we work to eliminate drunk driving for fans and families alike.

Click here to watch the Commissioner's announcement from the press conference.

Pledge to be Safe this St. Patrick’s Day
By MADD | March 8, 2013 | Filed in: Drunk Driving

St. Patrick’s Day has become a celebration of Irish culture in which people of all backgrounds take part in the festivities, which often include alcohol.  But far too often, St. Patrick’s Day celebrations end in tragedy because of drunk driving.

That’s why this year we’re asking everyone to take a pledge:

Then share your pledge on Facebook and Twitter to let your friends know you’ll be the DD (non-drinking designated driver), or that you vow not to drink and drive this St. Patrick’s Day, and encourage them to do the same.

MADD wants you to enjoy the holiday, but more importantly, we want everyone to get home safe.  So before you dress in green and attend any Irish-themed parties or parades, make plans for a safe and sober way home or an overnight stay if you’re drinking.

Bartender Fired For Calling Cops on Drunk Driver
By MADD | March 7, 2013 | Filed in: Drunk Driving

It takes every concerned citizen to help prevent drunk driving.  MADD has always said, if you think you see someone driving drunk, don’t hesitate to call the police. 

That’s what Twyla DeVito, a bartender in Shelby, Ohio did… and she was fired for it.  A patron at the bar she was working at had been drinking all day, and when he went to get in his car to head home, Twyla knew he had no business driving so she called the police.  He failed the sobriety test and his BAC was twice over the legal limit.  But soon after, Twyla received a call from her boss and was fired because having a bartender who will call the cops is “bad for business.”

Twyla’s story has been featured on Inside Edition and was discussed on the show The Talk, where Sharon Osbourne said, “I think it’s so unfair she got let go. Hideous.”

We commend Twyla, and people like her across the country, for taking the necessary steps to save lives, no matter the consequences.

Learn how to recognize and report drunk drivers on the roadways and read tips on how to prevent someone from driving drunk.