MADD and Nationwide Release New National Survey Data Showing People Volunteer to Be and Ride with a Designated Driver “to Get Home Safely”
Dallas, TX (PRWEB) November 17, 2014 -- Mothers Against Drunk Driving® (MADD) and National Presenting Sponsor Nationwide launched the 28th annual Tie One On For Safety holiday red ribbon awareness campaign to prevent drunk driving by designating a non-drinking driver. To kick off the campaign MADD and Nationwide today released a new national survey where participants were asked, “Why do you volunteer to be a designated driver?” and “Why did you chose to be driven home by a designated driver?”
The overwhelming response to both questions was “to get home safely,” followed by wanting to avoid being arrested for DUI and not wanting to be involved in a drunk driving crash.
“Reasons I was the designated driver”
• I want everyone to get home safely (75 percent)
• I don’t want to get arrested for DUI (45 percent)
• I don’t want to get in a crash (44 percent)
“Reasons I was driven by the designated driver”
• I want everyone to get home safely (85 percent)
• I don’t want to get arrested for DUI (72 percent)
• I don’t want to get in a crash (66 percent)
About half of adults (21 and older) surveyed reported having been a designated driver in the past year, while 39 percent have been driven by a designated driver.
“It’s no secret that drunk driving brings devastating consequences: crashes, arrests, affected family members and more,” said Jan Withers, MADD National President. “No matter what the reason may be to prevent someone from drunk driving, we’re glad that people are making the choice to ‘get home safely.’ With almost half of people volunteering to be a designated driver, and over a third opting to use a designated driver – we want these numbers to be even higher.”
Tie One On For Safety is MADD’s longest running and most visible awareness campaign. From November 1 to January 1, drivers across the nation are encouraged to display a MADD red ribbon on their vehicles as a reminder to plan ahead and designate a non-drinking driver. Every holiday season more than 400,000 red ribbons are distributed.
Between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Eve in 2012, 1,091 people were killed in drunk driving crashes nationwide, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). New Year’s Day (after all the midnight toasts on New Year’s Eve) is the deadliest day of the year for drunk driving on our roadways with a total of 140 people killed by drunk driving crashes during the New Year’s Holiday in 2012 (12/30/2011 – 1/03/2012).
“At Nationwide, we’re honored to support MADD in their effort to end drunk driving, and we encourage drivers to put a red ribbon on their cars as a reminder to not drink and drive during the holidays, and year-round,” explained Bill Windsor, Nationwide Insurance Associate Vice President of Consumer Safety. “The Tie One On For Safety campaign is only one of the many ways that MADD helps protect families on the roads.”
Beginning December 1 to December 15, MADD supporters and drunk driving victims can post an image of how they display their MADD red ribbon with #myMADDribbon on Facebook and Twitter.
To order a MADD red ribbon, or to purchase a red ribbon car magnet for $10, please visit madd.org/toofs or visit your local MADD office. For safe party tips, visit madd.org/safe-party/.
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 ten 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.
About Nationwide
Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company, based in Columbus, Ohio, is one of the largest and strongest diversified insurance and financial services organizations in the U.S. and is rated A+ by both A.M. Best and Standard & Poor’s. The company provides customers a full range of insurance and financial services, including auto insurance, motorcycle, boat, homeowners, pet, life insurance, farm, commercial insurance, annuities, mortgages, mutual funds, pensions, long-term savings plans and specialty health services. For more information, visit http://www.nationwide.com.
Nationwide, the Nationwide mark, and On Your Side are service marks of Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company.
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Note to editors: To request additional information, or to schedule an interview with MADD National President Jan Withers or MADD representative, contact Heather Wedel at 469.420.4544 or Heather.Wedel(at)madd(dot)org.
Heather Wedel, Mothers Against Drunk Driving, http://madd.org, +1 469-420-4544, [email protected]
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