As it says on their website, “the mission of Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) is to end drunk driving, help fight drugged driving, support the victims of these violent crimes, and prevent underage drinking.” And these mothers and their supporters work tirelessly to improve policy and law-making, and they are a force to be reckoned with.
The group started in the 1980s, right here in California. Candice Lightner began a grassroots effort to combat the perils and death toll of drunk driving. Her calling into this job was a sad one. She had lost her child to a car accident with a drunk driver. Since then the organization has grown to become a very well-known and influential presence on the national scene. Championing things like the concept of the “designated driver” and ignition interlock laws, these tireless men and women have made an impact on local and national laws over the years.
The group also spreads awareness and important information about the dangers of reckless drugged or drunk driving. They make sure to share up-to-date statistics about these kinds of crashes at a state level. They also offer progress reports every year for each state concerning their efforts to fight drunk driving.
In 2019, for example, California launched a multi-year pilot program mandating interlocks for repeat offenders, while making the devices optional for first-time offenders. Ignition interlocks are devices that measure the alcohol content of the driver’s breath before allowing the engine to get started. For MADD, this is not enough. They are fighting to make sure California becomes one of the states, there are now 34 that do so, that make interlocks mandatory for all convicted drunk drivers. This means no option available for first-time offenders.
MADD has some other recommendations for California as well. Besides, passing an ignition interlock law for all offenders, the state should also require ignition interlocks for anyone who refuses a breathalyzer. Lastly, the group would like to see California create a law making child endangerment a felony.
They are busy all across the country, as well. From coast to coast, MADD hosts award ceremonies for officers dedicated to the cause, puts on awareness events for the holidays (a time of increased traffic accidents), and releases public service announcements.
As you can see, these men and women have dedicated a lot of their time and efforts to make sure the streets are safe. They tirelessly lobby, advocate and educate in order to look out for their families and ours. They want to keep those drinking from getting behind the wheel and, especially for teenagers, to stop anyone from getting into cars with any drunk drivers. It is a thankless task sometimes, with some states taking longer than others to pass the much-needed legislation that keeps drinking drivers off the road. But, for everyone that hails a cab instead, for every prom group that books a limo, and for every reveler who makes it home safe- obviously, it is more than worth the struggle.
blogs
How Much is a Slip and Fall Claim Settlement Worth?
When filing a slip and fall claim, you might want to consider the amount of compensation. While there’s no defined amount of settlement, a successful claim should adequately compensate you for physical, emotional, and monetary loss. Hiring an experienced lawyer is critical to getting adequate compensation for a valid claim. The article explains the factors […]
How Dangerous are Ride Shares?
Everyone with a smartphone now has access to the next generation of personalized, private transportation. It used to be a matter of calling and reserving a cab or, in some places, hailing one from the side of the road. Since ridesharing is a new phenomenon, however, all of the kinks are still being worked out, […]
Statute of Limitations and Personal Injury
For many of us, when a personal injury occurs there can be a lot of mixed feelings. Some people may feel guilty that they got injured, even when the blame lies with someone else. The first concerns you will obviously have will be about your health and safety. You may not even be considering what […]
Tips for Pedestrian Safety
We all know that walking to work is good for your health. The benefits of fresh air, increased heart rate, and the relaxing effects of movement are well documented. It’s healthy to walk anywhere! But, what about the risks? When you hear medical advice, suggesting that you walk more, you rarely hear about the dangers […]
Pedestrian Safety in Cold Weather
When it’s cold outside, people drive worse than they did before. If you’re a pedestrian, you need to take extra precautions during the cold weather and, if you’re driving, you need to keep an extra eye out for pedestrians who are even harder to see, especially if snow is lowering your visibility. Safety is always […]
Five Apps for Increased Road Safety
Staying safe on the road is more important as more and more cities become increasingly dependent on automobile transportation. Increasedroad safety is about diligence and attentive driving, but there are also ways to “gamify” or in other ways incentivize safe driving, through smartphone apps. Here are five apps designed to keep you less distracted and […]
Tips for Driving in the Rain
Especially in areas like LA, where rainfall is not as popular an occurrence, drivers can seem to lose their minds as soon as the first drop hits the pavement. Every year, an estimated 21% of all crashes are related to weather conditions. You need to keep yourself and your family safe on the road, no […]
Benefits of a Dashboard Camera
As we all know, the streets and highways of California can be a wild place and accidents can happen. Collisions can range from disorienting to terrifying, and reconstructing the events around a crash can be a challenge in some cases. While there are more street and traffic light cameras than ever before, obviously not every angle of […]
Five Apps for Bicyclists
Bicycle accidents happen all the time in the United States, and practicing bicycle safety is relatively simple – it just involves a lot of mindful riding and the safest possible equipment. Another part of safe bicycle riding is making sure you have your routes planned out and, in the case of an emergency, it doesn’t […]
Bicycle Safety in California
In a lot of ways, California is known as the driving capital of America, if not the world. Where else are so many people absolutely defined by their vehicles, their routes to work, and even their carbon footprint for transportation? The state requires some of the most stringent emission requirements across the nation and is […]
contact form
