Drunk Driving Fatalities Cut in Half Since MADD's Founding
By MADD | December 8, 2011 | Filed in: Drunk Driving

Today, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) released new 2010 drunk driving fatality data, announcing a reduction in drunk driving fatalities.  This new data from NHTSA shows that fatalities have dropped 4.9 percent from 10,759 in 2009 to 10,228 in 2010.

"More than 3,200 fewer people were killed last year than in the previous four years," said Jan Withers, MADD National President. "That's 3,200 families who did not receive that terrible, life-changing call or visit from law enforcement letting them know their loved one wasn't coming home again."

This decline in fatalities means that drunk driving deaths have now been cut by more than half since MADD's founding 31 years ago.  Our grassroots efforts have supported landmark legislation such as the national .08 blood alcohol concentration standard and the 21 minimum drinking age.  Together, we have changed the culture in this country, from one that accepted drunk driving as a fact of life to one that recognizes drunk driving as a 100 percent preventable crime.

We will continue to work hard to bring that number to zero, because as Jan Withers says, "One life impacted by this terrible crime is one life too many, as there are still more than 10,000 drunk driving fatalities and hundreds of thousands of injuries every year."

Christmas Without Eddie
By MADD | December 7, 2011 | Filed in: Drunk Driving

On the night of December 5, 2006, 24-year-old Deputy Eddie Miller was heading home from work when a drunk driver crossed the line on Route 35, near his home in rural Mason County, West Virginia, hitting his truck head on.  Eddie died at the scene.

Eddie wanted to be a police officer since he was very young, and began doing ride-alongs with the Winfield Police and became active in the D.A.R.E. program.  He not only served as a Putnam County Deputy Sherriff, he was also a Winfield police officer, a sergeant in the Army Reserves and was an active member of the Winfield Volunteer Fire Department.

Every morning after his death, Eddie’s mother, Selena Miller, dug at his grave with her bare hands trying to reach him, to hold and keep him warm.  She says, “My greatest sorrow as a mother is that I never got to hold him one more time before he was buried. A mother gets to hold their son at birth and should be able to at their death.” 

Margie Sadler, a MADD victim advocate, whose daughter was also a friend of Eddie’s, reached out to the Millers with no response.  But after nine months, Selena called Margie sobbing, desperately needing someone to help her with the case, which fortunately, Margie was able to offer some assistance. Selena even stated that Margie was able to help her more in 48 hours than her attorney had in the 9 months after the crash.

Despite her terrible grief and initial desire to die, Selena realized that life had other plans.  She is now able to understand the pain other parents feel after losing a child and through her own experience, can offer support.  Since the crash that killed their son, the Millers have participated in sobriety checkpoints held by the West Virginia State Police, Putnam County Sheriff's Department, and Hurricane Police Department, in honor of Eddie.

This time of year is especially hard for the Millers, with the anniversary of the death of their son in the middle of what is supposed to be “the most wonderful time of the year.”  The Millers no longer look forward to the Christmas season, as they once did.  To get through the holidays, the Millers still choose to celebrate with family, but now they do so away from the home.  When asked if they had any advice for other families, especially during the holidays, Selena stated that “changing the way you celebrate the holidays does help.”

National Impaired Driving Prevention Month
By MADD | December 5, 2011 | Filed in: Drugged Driving , Drunk Driving

December has been designated National Impaired Prevention Month, a time to raise awareness about the consequences of driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs.  In issuing his proclamation, President Obama asked all Americans to “recommit to preventing tragedy before it strikes by ensuring our family members and friends stay safe, sober, and drug-free on the road.” Click here to read the proclamation. (Read more about our partnership with the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy and our Drugged Driving Initiative here).

The month of December is one of the busiest on the nation’s roadways, and also one of the most dangerous, due to a high incidence of alcohol and drug-related traffic crashes.  During December 2009, there were 753 people killed in traffic crashes that involved a drunk driver.

MADD has these tips to help ensure everyone’s safety this holiday season:

• Designate a sober driver before celebrations begin;
• Plan safe parties, including providing non-alcoholic drink options to guests and not serving alcohol the last hour of the gathering;
• Never serve alcohol to those under the age of 21;
• If you’ve been drinking, use a taxi, call a sober friend or family member, or use public transportation;
• If you see an impaired driver on the road, don’t hesitate to contact your local law enforcement;
• If you know someone who is about to drive or ride with a driver who is impaired, take the driver’s keys and help them make other arrangements to get to where they are going safely.

Remember, impaired driving crashes are 100% preventable. Do your part this holiday season by choosing not to drive impaired and help others do the same. 

Answering Our Critics
By Jan Withers | November 29, 2011 | Filed in: Drunk Driving

Last week I was interviewed on C-SPAN’s Washington Journal and there were many callers – many of whom were critical of my work through MADD.  One guy said he hoped I slept at night and another said George Washington would be disgusted as I was ruining people’s lives who were convicted of driving drunk.  The accusations were extreme – the convicted people lives were ruined because their arrests cost them so much financially and then they could never get jobs again, just for having a couple of drinks, having a little fun and making an innocent mistake.  Never mind that drinking to a .08 BAC level is not just a couple of drinks.  Never mind that Americans are very aware of the destruction drunk driving can cause.  Never mind that they are breaking the law by driving after drinking excessively.  Never mind that it isn’t innocent and it's not a mistake – it is a criminal act.  Never mind that they are responsible for their own consequences by committing this crime.  And, never mind that more often it devastates the lives of people they victimize.  That is why it is illegal.  That is why it is not just a mistake.

But you know, I believe George Washington would be proud of us at MADD.  He was all about the protection of our rights as citizens.  I believe we have the right to be safe from threat of violent outcomes that impaired driving causes.  I do sleep at night because of our hard work to save lives.  I will continue to be vocal, I will continue to lobby for effective countermeasures against drunk driving, and I will forever work to save lives and prevent injuries caused by impaired driving. 

Jan Withers, MADD National President

A Moment to Reflect on Thankfulness
By Jan Withers | November 22, 2011 | Filed in: Drunk Driving , National President

The first few years after Alisa was killed I thought I would never feel thanks again.   I was wrong – thankfully.   This past week MADD celebrated the fifth anniversary of our Campaign to Eliminate Drunk Driving.   I remember 5 years ago when it was launched – realizing that by applying research-proven countermeasures against drunk driving we will see the end of it in our lifetimes.   That was exciting.

As we look at our progress this year we have made so much progress.  We began with only one state requiring ignition interlocks for all convicted drunk drivers.  Today we have 16.    Thirty-two states require interlocks for first time offenders and eight for repeat offenders.   Those are just numbers, but those numbers have saved lives of real people.  They may have saved the most important person in your life.  They may have saved your life.  They may have saved someone in our families.   For that I am thankful.   

I am also thankful for the progress on the advanced technology, the Driver Alcohol Detection System for Safety, that will someday soon seamlessly detect whether the person behind the wheel is at or above the illegal limit of .08 BAC and prevent the car from starting.  It will never interfere with the sober driver.   The progress on this research has advanced more quickly than imagined when the project began.  It will be in a test vehicle in a mere two years.   This will make drunk driving a footnote in the history books.  For this I am not only thankful, I am excited. 

In my reflective moments, I am still most thankful for the wonderful support MADD provides for the thousands of individuals just like me who have been injured or had a loved one killed by a drunk driver.  MADD is there for us every step of the way.  For that, I am eternally grateful.