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This Halloween, Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) asks everyone to designate a sober driver before the celebrations begin, and to never serve alcohol to those under 21. The Halloween three-day period is a deadly timeframe for drunk driving and could be especially concerning this year since Halloween falls on a Friday. From October 30, 2007 to November 1, 2007, 66 people were killed by a drunk driver with .08 or higher Blood Alcohol Content (BAC), according to data from the National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

“We support enforcement efforts 100 percent in helping protect our children and our roadways this Halloween,” said Laura Dean-Mooney, national president of MADD. “We want everyone to have fun but drunk driving or providing alcohol to those under 21 can quickly turn a fun time into a very scary situation.”

MADD recommends that everyone designate a sober driver before celebrations begin. Home Safe Card supports safer communities and MADD’s mission through its Home Safe Card. This prepaid card can be used to pay any transportation service that accepts Discover® Network Cards. Each time a MADD-affiliated Home Safe Card is sold, a portion of the proceeds are donated to MADD. The Home Safe Card will soon be available nationwide in , , and 0 denominations. Please visit http://www.homesafecard.com/ for details.

This Halloween, MADD has these tips to help ensure everyone’s safety:
- Designate a sober driver before celebrations begin
- Never serve those under the age of 21 alcohol
- Plan safe parties, including providing non-alcoholic drink options to guests and not serving alcohol the last hour of the party
- Be prepared to get everyone home safe in case your plans or individual circumstances change

Nate Wheeler, Chair of the Affiliate Council of Operations for MADD Eugene said, “In 2007, one hundred and fifty Oregonians were killed in an alcohol impaired crash. On average, that equates to nearly two fatalities every other day in our state and that is a scary reality. Drunk driving is becoming a serious public health threat and I encourage everyone to sign the pledge to support MADD’s Campaign To Eliminate Drunk Driving by visiting http://www.madd.org/ for all the latest in MADD’s efforts to keep our roads safe and to save lives.”

Recent National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration (NHTSA) data showed that 1840 youth aged 20 and under were killed in crashes involving a driver at or above the illegal limit of .08 Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) in 2007. Children who find themselves with an adult who is driving drunk should always buckle up, sit in the middle of the backseat of the vehicle, place their belongings on the floor, not distract the driver and let a trusted adult know what happened as soon as they arrive home or at their destination.

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MADD Oregon News

Yesterday I had the privilege of speaking at a press conference hosted by Rockland County, NY District Attorney, Thomas Zugibe, to announce that on Aug. 15 the mandatory ignition interlock (in car breathalyzer) law for all DWI offenders takes effect. The “Don’t Blow It” messaging shows a parent blowing into an interlock as a child looks on. Can you imagine having to do that and explain to your kid why you are going to continue occasionally blowing into this device as you take the trip to town or to your child’s school?

New York has made it clear–it won’t tolerate drunk driving. Leandra’s Law is named for Leandra Rosado who was killed in a drunk driving crash last October in NYC. Her dad, Lenny, joined in the press conference and explained that anyone who drives drunk with a child under 16 years old, will face a felony. Rockland County Sheriff James Kralik gave credit to our founder, Candace Lightner, who singlehandedly took on drunk driving after the death of her daughter, Cari. The Sheriff talked about how early on in his career, police officers would take the keys away from a drunk driver, let them sleep it off for a couple of hours and then go back and give them the keys. He stressed that ever since MADD was founded, officers don’t do that. Deputy Secretary for Public Safety, Mary Kavaney, stressed that every child deserves a designated driver–and she is so right!

MADD has made a difference in the lives of so many. We’ve gotten laws like this passed all over the country and we’ll keep on working in those states that don’t take drunk driving seriously in order to save lives and prevent injuries. We’d love to have your help!

Blog to Eliminate Drunk Driving