Mothers Against Drunk Driving (Madd) | Research & Encyclopedia Articles

This organization works to reduce DRUNK DRIVING and to help the victims of drunk-driving ACCIDENTS. Many of MADD's members are volunteers who have personally suffered from the results of drunk driving. This national organization was founded by Candy Lightner, whose thirteen-year-old daughter, Cari, was killed by a drunk driver on May 3, 1980. Ms. Lightner was outraged to learn that only two days previously the driver had been released from jail, where he had been held for another hit-and-run drunk-driving crash. Although he had been arrested for drunk driving several times before, he was still driving with a valid California license. Candy Lightner decided to begin a campaign to keep drunk drivers off the road, so that other mothers would not have to suffer the anguish that she was experiencing. On September 5, 1980 (Cari's birthday), MADD was incorporated.

Since then, MADD has evolved into an organization with millions of members and hundreds of local chapters across the United States. Chapters have also been started in Canada, Great Britain, New Zealand, and Australia. Membership is not restricted to mothers of victims or to the victims themselves. Everyone who is concerned about the drunk-driving issue is welcome to join. Funding forthe organization comes from membership dues and contributions; MADD also applies for and receives grants from federal and state governments and private organizations. Paid staff are employed to provide leadership on the state and national levels. MADD is involved in three major kinds of activity: (1) advocacy for stricter drunk-driving laws and better enforcement, (2) promotion of public awareness and educational programs, and (3) assistance to victims.

According to MADD, drunk driving is a violent crime. One of its rallying slogans is, "Murder by Car Is Still Murder!" Over the years, MADD members have worked to generate public support for passage of stricter drunk-driving legislation, punitive sanctions, and more consistent enforcement measures aimed at deterring drunk driving. In the 1980s, intense lobbying efforts were undertaken for the passage of laws making twenty-one the minimum legal age for drinking (now in force in all 50 states). The group believes that this measure has saved thousands of young lives that would have been lost in drunk-driving crashes.

MADD has also lobbied for changes in judicial procedures that would make the system more responsive to victims of drunk driving. For example, in many states victims had been barred from the courtroom during the trial of their own drunk-drivingcases, because their testimony (or even their presence) might prejudice the jury. Owing to the efforts of MADD and other groups, victims' rights bills have now been passed in all states. These ensure that victims will be notified about court hearings and, in most states, allowed to testify about the impact of the crime on their lives. Other lobbying efforts have sought to close legal loopholes that drunk drivers were using to avoid punishment. For example, drivers might have refused to take a breath or blood test for intoxication and have been allowed to plead guilty to a lesser charge. In other cases, drivers were allowed to claim that despite their high blood-alcohol content (BAC), their driving was not really impaired.

MADD has been instrumental in the passage of over 1,000 tougher drunk-driving laws that close these loopholes and institute other deterrence measures, such as mandatory jail sentences for drunk drivers. MADD also supports efforts to require offenders to undergo treatment for alcoholism and/or drug dependency, if this is deemed necessary.

MADD is involved in various efforts to raise public awareness and concern about drunk driving. The "National Candlelight Vigil of Remembrance and Hope" is held in many locations each December, drawing victims together to give public testimony to the suffering that results from drunk driving. During the "Red Ribbon Tie One On for Safety" campaign, which takes place between Thanksgiving and New Year's Day, MADD encourages citizens to attach a red ribbon to their car as a reminder to themselves and others to drive sober. MADD's well-known public awareness campaign of the past used the slogan, "Think… Don't Drink and Drive" in public-service announcements on radio and television and in print materials. A more recent campaign, "Keep It a Safe Summer" (KISS) emphasized the need for sobriety during recreational activities that involve driving, boating, or other risky activities. MADD also provides curriculum materials for schools and each year sponsors a poster and essay contest for children on the subject of drunk driving.

Programs that provide aid to victims of drunk-driving crashes constitute the heart of MADD's mission. Support groups help victims share their pain with others who understand their feelings. MADD members send "We Care" cards to victims of recent crashes. Specially trained victim advocates offer a one-on-one personal relationship with victims, trying to respond to both their emotional and practical needs. Victims are briefed on their legal rights and on the judicial procedures relevant to their cases. They can call a toll-free number (1-800-GET MADD) for information and for help in case of crisis. MADD also offers death-notification training for police and specialized training for other community professionals, such as clergy and medical workers, who are called upon to assist victims.

"20 × 2000"

Since the founding of MADD in 1980, the percentage of alcohol-related traffic fatalities has steadily decreased from almost 60 percent to around 50 percent. MADD's goal "20 × 2000" seeks to reduce that proportion by an additional 20 percent by the year 2000. Intensified efforts will focus on more effective law enforcement, increased sanctions, and prevention programs that include education for youth and more responsible marketing and service practices in liquor establishments.

Blood Alcohol Concentration, Measures Of; Blood Alcohol Content; Breathalyzer; Driving, Alcohol, and Drugs; Driving Under the Influence; Legal Regulation of Drugs and Alcohol; Minimum Drinking Age Laws; Psychomotor Effects of Alcohol and Drugs; Remove Intoxicated Drivers; Students Against Destructive Decisions)

BLOCH, S. A., & UNGERLEIDER, S. (1988). Whither the drunk driving movement? The social and program-matic orientations of Mothers Against Drunk Driving. In F. B. Dickman (Ed.), Alcohol and traffic safety. New York: Pergamon.

LIGHTNER, C. (1987). Youth and the road toll. In P. C. Noordzij & R. Roszbach (Eds.), Alcohol, drugs and traffic safety. Amsterdam: Elsevier.

MANN, P. (1985). Arrive alive. New York: McGraw-Hill.

SADOFF, M. (1990). America gets MADD. Irving, TX:MADD.

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