New MADD Report Reveals Improvement on Drunk Driving Reform Nationwide
Washington, DC (PRWEB) January 08, 2014 -- Today, Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) released Campaign to Eliminate Drunk Driving: 2014 Report to the Nation, an update of MADD’s Campaign advocacy efforts. The report provides an overview of legislative accomplishments, highlights state-by-state drunk driving reform, and provides a glimpse of what is on the horizon.
“Seeing drunk driving fatalities increase for the first time in six years, the nation must now double down on proven drunk driving countermeasures,” said Jan Withers, MADD National President. “Our Campaign is working; the Department of Transportation just concluded the Driver Sober or Get Pulled Over high visibility enforcement campaign, 20 states now have all- offender ignition interlock laws, and the federal government and the auto industry just announced a five-year extension of the research agreement to develop advanced, in-vehicle alcohol detection technologies.”
MADD’s Campaign to Eliminate Drunk Driving has seen substantial progress in its three components:
• Support for high-visibility law enforcement activities
• Legislation requiring ignition interlocks for all-convicted drunk drivers
• Development of advanced, in-vehicle alcohol detection technology
“The Campaign is a blueprint for the nation to eliminate drunk driving,” said Debbie Weir, MADD Chief Executive Officer. “Our emphasis is to eliminate drunk driving so that in the near future we will no longer have victims of this 100 percent preventable crime that causes lifelong tragic consequences for families and loved ones.”
Unique to this report is the five-star rating of each state. States receive a star to indicate the adoption of these drunk driving laws and/or implementation of a proven countermeasure:
1. Requiring ignition interlocks for all convicted drunk drivers
2. Conducting sobriety checkpoints
3. Creating enhanced penalties for those who drive drunk with children in the vehicle
4. Participating in “no-refusal” activities for those suspected of drunk driving
5. Utilizing Administrative License Revocation for drunk driving offenders
These ratings are independent of a state’s fatality numbers.
The Campaign’s impact is evident as the number of four and five star states has more than doubled and only two states received one star since the report was published in 2011. Additionally, six states increased their star rating due to a legislative change.
“The Campaign has delivered an important message to lawmakers about the effectiveness of ignition interlocks. MADD calls on every state to protect our families and adopt all offender ignition interlock laws,” said Withers. “MADD asks lawmakers to give law enforcement the tools needed to stop drunk driving by legalizing sobriety checkpoints and allowing for no refusal events.”
To view MADD’s Report to the Nation, visit http://www.madd.org/2014reporttothenation. MADD is the sole author of the report, which is based on 33 years of experience working to pass lifesaving legislation, along with data from various respected government, research and public safety organization sources.
For more information about MADD’s Campaign to Eliminate Drunk Driving, visit http://www.madd.org/campaign.
About Mothers Against Drunk Driving
Founded by a mother whose daughter was killed by a drunk driver, Mothers Against Drunk Driving® (MADD) is the nation’s largest nonprofit working to protect families from drunk driving and underage drinking. With the help of those who want a safer future, MADD’s Campaign to Eliminate Drunk Driving® will end this danger on America’s roads. PowerTalk 21® is the national day for parents to talk with their kids about alcohol, using the proven strategies of Power of Parents® to reduce the risk of underage drinking. And as one of the largest victim services organizations in the U.S., MADD also supports drunk and drugged driving victims and survivors at no charge, serving one person every 8.6 minutes through local MADD victim advocates and at 1-877-MADD-HELP. Learn more at http://www.madd.org or by calling 1-877-ASK-MADD.
Carol Ronis, Mothers Against Drunk Driving, http://www.madd.org, +1 (202) 600-2032, [email protected]
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