Don’t Drink and Kill, 2019 MADD Virginia PSA Campaign

MADD VA LAUNCHES VICTIM FOCUSED MEDIA CAMPAIGN TO STOP IMPAIRED DRIVING OVER JULY 4TH HOLIDAYS AND THROUGHOUT THE YEAR

 

Mothers Against Drunk Driving® (MADD) Virginia kicked off a month long television, radio and Facebook campaign this morning to remind people not to drive impaired over the upcoming July 4th holiday week and throughout the year. Always designate a sober driver, so everyone gets home alive.

MADD Virginia and the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles will run a one month media campaign using victim stories to remind drivers of the importance of being sober when they are driving on our roadways. Three PSA’s were introduced at the press conference featuring the victim stories of Shaniqua ‘Denay’ Patterson from Surry County, George ‘Eddie’ Neselrod from Newport News, Rosa, Elsie and Amzi Broadnax from Amelia County, Thomas C. Estep from Wise County, Alonza Jefferson, Jr. from Chesterfield County and Robert Lee Cooper, Jr. from Fluvanna County.

The press conference was held at the Virginia State Police Training Academy in Richmond. Lieutenant Colonel Tracy Russillo from the Virginia State Police stressed the importance of not driving impaired and highlighted the many law enforcement agencies in Virginia that are working to stop impaired driving.

Cathy Cooper from Fluvanna talked about losing her eleven month old son Robert when she was pushing him in a stroller and they were hit by a drunk driver.

 

A live stream of the press conference can be seen at:

https://www.facebook.com/madd.virginia/videos/2186459581403073/.

The 3 PSAs can be found on Youtube HERE

Or on our Facebook HERE

 

Drunk driving remains the leading killer on U.S. roads. Nationwide in 2017, 237 people were killed over the July 4th holiday weekend. Virginia suffered a 12% increase in alcohol-related fatalities in 2018 over the numbers in 2017 and a 1% increase in injuries.

For information on MADD, visit https://www.madd.org/virginia/.