MADD’s Campaign to Eliminate Drunk Driving

When Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) was founded in 1980, drunk driving was considered socially acceptable behavior, despite the fact an estimated 30,000 people were being killed annually in alcohol-related traffic crashes on America ’s roadways.  

Since that time, alcohol-related traffic fatalities have declined by more than 40 percent — progress that has been achieved primarily through the enactment and enforcement of tough drunk driving laws. 

However, in recent years, the war against drunk driving has stalled in the U.S. Every year, nearly 13,000 people are killed by drunk drivers with an illegal alcohol level of .08 BAC or higher. To MADD, even one more death is unacceptable.  

That is why MADD launched major offensive in the war against drunk driving through its Campaign to Eliminate Drunk Driving.  The goal of the Campaign is simple, focused and possible: a nation without drunk driving.

The best way to honor the victims of drunk driving is to prevent it from happening to anyone else. The real possibility of eliminating a primary public health threat that has plagued the United States for 100 years is a powerful, even audacious , idea.  But the proven tools are at hand, and that is exactly what we intend to do.  

The four key strategies of MADD’s Campaign to Eliminate Drunk Driving are as follows:

Full support for high-visibility law enforcement

Highly visible enforcement crackdowns, including checkpoints and saturation patrols, are proven to get drunk drivers off the road.  Americans stand behind strong enforcement: 87 percent say they support the use of sobriety checkpoints. 

MADD is fully committed to supporting crackdowns, both preceding Labor Day holidays and the December holidays, as well as sustained enforcement efforts throughout the year.

Maximum implementation of current alcohol ignition interlock technologies

MADD believes that anyone who violates the public trust by driving at or above .08 deserves and needs an alcohol ignition interlock.  The public is behind us: 65 percent support mandatory interlocks for all convicted drunk drivers.

The main reason why people continue to drive drunk today, despite 27 years of intense public education and the best efforts by law enforcement, is because they can.  One of the best proven ways of stopping convicted drunk drivers from continuing to drive drunk is through currently available interlock devices.  These devices prevent the vehicle from starting if the driver fails a breath test.  Though interlocks are up to 90 percent effective while on the vehicle, it is estimated that only one out of eight convicted drunk drivers each year currently get the device.  MADD is committed to vastly increasing that number in the next five years by encouraging states to enact model laws that require alcohol ignition interlock devices for all convicted drunk drivers.  One key advance developed here in Colorado as well as Canada would only have the devices come off the vehicles of convicted drunk drivers when they have demonstrated a substantial period of no violations. By working with judges, prosecutors and state driver’s license officials on the proven benefits of ignition interlocks, the Campaign aims to stop the revolving door of repeat offenders. 

Advanced technology research initiative

MADD supports the development of new technology already underway that will stop a drunk driver from operating a vehicle.  MADD, along with NHTSA, the auto industry, and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, have formed a cooperative research initiative via the Blue Ribbon Panel on Advanced Alcohol Detection Technology. The Panel is focused on several key imperatives: the technology must not affect or interfere with the sober driver; it must be absolutely reliable and accurate; it should be set at .08 for adult drivers not convicted of drunk driving, and the cost should be reasonable.  There are many technologies being explored, such as transdermal detection to measure BACs through skin contact with the steering wheel or other surfaces in the vehicle, infrared beams to measure BAC through the skin, algorithms to detect weaving and biometric identification such as thumbprint screens.

Mobilization of grassroots efforts  

Together with its 400 affiliates, MADD is uniting drunk driving victims, families, community leaders, and policy makers to fight to eliminate drunk driving.  MADD is building a broad-based coalition that will include law enforcement agencies, judicial organizations, auto manufacturers, insurers, distilled spirits companies, technology companies, safety advocates, health care professionals, and emergency technicians in order to push for comprehensive state-level policies and reforms that will ensure that drunk driving is finally abolished in this country. 

Too many people continue to die at the hands of drunk drivers. More of the same is simply not enough. With this Campaign, MADD is putting proven solutions to work to make drunk driving the public health equivalent of polio. Together, we can ensure that no other American becomes a victim of drunk driving. Together, we can eliminate drunk driving in the U.S.   Join us. 

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