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 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.

National Teen Influencer Summit
By MADD | July 2, 2012 | Filed in: Underage Drinking

This past weekend, 10 teens from across the country gathered at MADD’s national headquarters in Irving, TX, for the first National Teen Influencer Group Summit.  The teens, ages 13-18, were appointed to the group either by winning the national Power of You(th) video contest held in the spring of 2012, or by nominations from MADD staff and volunteers and partnering organizations.

At the Summit, the Teen Influencers shared their own experiences about the challenges associated with underage drinking as well as their ideas for reaching teens with the life-saving message about the importance of waiting until after 21 to drink and of choosing not to ride in a car with someone who has been drinking.  We talked about MADD’s developing strategy for reaching teens, how we could do better, and what more could be done through the Power of You(th) program.

The Summit was a great opportunity to work together to create a program for youth, by youth.  We look forward to using the knowledge gained during the weekend activities and continuing to work with the teens via conference calls to further develop MADD’s Power of You(th) program to reach teens across the country.
Thank you to the very talented 10 National Teen Influencers for your participation and insight that will ultimately help save countless lives!  You are our future, and it’s for that reason we press on.

Thank you also to State Farm, who is the presenting sponsor of the Power of You(th) program and of the National Teen Influencer Group Summit.

Meet MADD Tennessee’s Program Specialist, Phaedra Marriott-Olson
By MADD | June 19, 2012 | Filed in: Drunk Driving , Underage Drinking , Victim Services

The Knoxville News Sentinel recently featured an article about Phaedra Marriott-Olson, MADD Tennessee Program Specialist and drunk driving crash survivor.

In May of 1996, the car Phaedra was driving was hit head on when a driver with a .08 BAC crossed the centerline into oncoming traffic.  Phaedra spent five and a half weeks on life support after the crash that left her paralyzed.  At the time, the legal limit to drive in Missouri was .10, so the driver was not charged with a DUI.

Phaedra did not waste any time turning her tragedy into a positive message.  Even from her hospital bed she worked to put an end to drunk driving by allowing students to visit her hospital room to see first-hand the effects of drinking and driving.

Today, 21 surgeries later, Phaedra works full time for MADD Tennessee working with youth, giving parents the tools to talk to their teens about the dangers of underage drinking, and teaching death notification to law enforcement officers.

Jan Withers says it best: “Phaedra is an inspiration to me and many others who have been victimized by impaired driving.  She has turned her trauma into reaching out and helping others.”

Read the full article from The Knoxville News Sentinel.

The Deadliest Driving Season for Teens
By MADD | May 30, 2012 | Filed in: Power of Parents , Underage Drinking

With annual events like proms and graduation parties, and, of course, the starts of summer vacation, teens are more likely to be on the road this time of year; but parents beware, the period between Memorial Day and Labor Day has been labeled "The 100 Deadliest Days" for teen drivers.  

According to AAA, an average of 399 teens died in traffic crashes during each of the summer months (May-August), compared to a monthly average of 346 teen deaths during non-summer months. The seven most dangerous days on the road for teens during summer are May 20, May 23, June 10, July 4, July 9, Aug. 8 and Aug. 14. 

What can parents do to keep their teens safe?

To keep teens safe during these dangerous months and year round, AAA Insurance suggests the following tips for parents:

• Eliminate trips without purpose. 
• Limit passengers. Fatal crash rates for 16- to 19-year-olds increase fivefold when two or more teen passengers are present versus when teens drive alone.
• Restrict night driving. A teen driver’s chances of being involved in a deadly crash doubles at night.
• Establish a parent-teen driving agreement. Written agreements help set and enforce clear rules about night driving, passengers, access to the car, and more.
• Enroll teens in summer driving school. 
• Be there. Make sure your teen knows that if they need help, advice or a ride, they can call you at any time. Extend this offer often and let your teen know that you are always available, and that they will not be judged or punished should they need your help.

MADD also suggests:

• Talk about alcohol.  Use our Power of Parents® handbook to talk with you teens about not drinking alcohol until they are 21 and never get in the car with someone who has been drinking.
• Buckle up. Insist on seat belts at all times and in all seating positions. Low seat belt use is one of the primary reasons that teen driver and passenger fatality and injury rates remain high.

The Safe Teen and Novice Driver Uniform Protection Act (STAND UP act)

In the spring of 2011 the STAND UP act was introduced to the U.S. House and Senate.  This legislation would establish minimum federal requirements for state Graduated Drivers Licensing (GDL) laws and encourage all states to adopt GDL laws that meet those minimum requirements within 3 years.   GDL has consistently proven effective in reducing new driver crash risk.  MADD supports the STAND UP act and hopes that all states will adopt Graduated Drivers Licensing laws to help keep our teens safe on the road.