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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.

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Senator Frank Lautenberg Announces Retirement
By MADD | February 20, 2013 | Filed in: General

New Jersey Senator Frank Lautenberg, who chairs the Senate Commerce panel in charge of highways, transit, rail and maritime issues, recently announced that he won’t run for re-election in 2014. Senator Lautenberg has been a champion for MADD and our mission to end drunk driving and underage drinking for three decades, and has been instrumental in getting key legislation passed—saving tens of thousands of lives.

“Twenty thousand lives have been saved over 21 years. I am so proud to have helped make this country a better place for our children and their children.”

– Senator Frank Lautenberg, 2005

Senator Lautenberg was an author and driving force behind both the 21 minimum drinking age law in 1984 and setting the .08 blood alcohol concentration (BAC) standard for the entire country throughout the 90s, eventually getting that standard passed in 2000. He supported the 2006 STOP Act to help prevent underage drinking, and has continued to support reauthorizing that funding ever since. Recently, he was a champion for the federal highway bill, MAP-21, and its safety provisions, which include giving incentive grants to states that require interlocks for all offenders, and funding research into DADSS technology.

We are incredibly thankful for his support of MADD’s issues and all of his lifesaving work over the past 30 years. We wish him much happiness in retirement.

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Drive Safely After Dark (Guest Blog)
By Guest Blogger | February 15, 2013 | Filed in: General

Provided by Nationwide Insurance® the national presenting sponsor of the Power of Parents® program. Nationwide also offers exclusive discounts to MADD supporters, learn more.

Do you hate driving at night? You’re hardly alone. In fact, 7 out of 10 drivers in the U.S. fear evening driving because of the lack of visibility, according to an industry study. Nearly 40 percent of those surveyed are worried about hitting a person or an animal, and one-quarter are concerned about not seeing road markings.

With this in mind, consider these preventive measures to help you make it safely down the road.

Prep for Success
Before you head out, make sure your visual tools are in order. Adjust all mirrors and check to see if the dimming feature on the rear-view mirror is set, if you have one. “If you’re driving in the country—where there is no ambient light—make sure beforehand that both of your headlights are working and they’re clear of mud, film, ice and snow,” says Philip Reed, senior consumer advice editor for Edmunds.com.

Pay Attention to Your Headlights
Modern vehicles often allow headlights to get adjusted on the fly from the driver’s seat. “You want to make sure they’re set low for city driving and higher for country driving,” Reed says. If an oncoming vehicle’s headlights are too bright, move to a lane that’s not in direct view. If headlights behind you are too bright, find a safe place to pull over to let the car pass, or move to the right-hand lane.

Keep It Clear
After the sun goes down, bad weather can be intimidating. Be sure your wiper blades are in top form and your wiper fluid is topped off. Keep a working ice scraper with you and make sure your windows are clean. “Once you’re in the car, use your defrost/defog feature on cold, damp nights,” says Art Jacobsen, vice president at CarMD. “Make sure the air is drawing from outside and not in ‘re-circulation’ mode, which will take longer to defrost and defog your widows.”

Stay Alert
Avoid mobile device usage and keep your eyes moving. “Look for reflectors, pedestrians, animals’ eyes, debris—especially if it’s windy or stormy—and stalled cars ahead,” Jacobsen says. “Be aware of any cars near you so you can prepare to slow, stop or change lanes as needed.”

Don’t Outdrive Your Headlights
“That means that if you can’t stop within the area that’s illuminated in front of you,” Jacobsen says, “you’re driving too fast.”

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MADD at the Super Bowl
By MADD | February 5, 2013 | Filed in: General

MADD was invited by our partners at the NFL to host a booth during the Super Bowl Media Week. Check out a few of the photos from the event:

MADD CEO Debbie Weir and Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt

Former Ravens tackle and Pro Hall of Famer Jonathan Ogden

MADD’s booth with 100% alcohol free MADD Virgin Drinks samples

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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.