MADD – 30 Years Later
Three decades after founder Candy Lightner started the organization known as Mothers Against Drunk Driving, or MADD, much has changed – and much remains to be done – in the fight against drunk drivers. In fact, MADD’s focus itself changed to the point that Lightner broke ties with the group in 1985. In a 2002 interview with the Washington Times, Lightner said MADD “has become far more neo-prohibitionist than I had ever wanted or envisioned…I didn’t start MADD to deal with alcohol. I started MADD to deal with drunk driving.”
Coming up on MADD’s 30th anniversary in November 2010, there’s good news and bad news in where the organization stands today – and not all of it can be found by looking in their press kits.
How it all Began
MADD’s origin was very simple, the result of a tragic accident in 1980 in which a hit-and—run drunk driver killed Lightner’s 13-year old daughter, Cari. Four days after the accident and a day after Cari’s funeral, Lightner founded MADD. She originally called it Mothers Against Drunk Drivers, but was later persuaded by a consulting firm to change the name to Mothers Against
Drunk Driving.
Her goal in creating the organization was to raise public awareness about the serious nature of drunk driving and to promote tough legislation against it. In the ensuing years, Lightner is credited with doing just that. She changed public opinion, in great measure because she put a human face on the victims of drunk drivers. These were real people, and they died needlessly. These innocent victims were no longer just statistics. Lightner’s constant presence – including media appearances on Good Morning America and Nightline – speaking before Congress, and addressing professional and business groups – led to a dramatic change in public perception. Drunk driving was no longer considered socially acceptable. This shift in public attitudes represented a far cry from the dismissive way intoxicated driving was perceived before Lightner began her tireless work.
As a result of Lightner’s efforts, President Reagan appointed a Blue Ribbon Commission on Drunk and Drugged Driving in 1982. Across the country, more than 400 drunk driving laws were enacted. Lighter served on several commissions: National Commission on Drunk Driving, National Highway Safety Commission, National Partnership for Drug Free Use, and the Presidential Commission on Drunk and Drugged Driving.
MADD Changed its Focus
According to ActivistCash.com, for the first 15 years MADD’s strategy of helping to reduce drunk-driving traffic fatalities by educating the public about the dangers of drunk driving paid off. The successful public relations’ campaigns led to MADD’s achieving their goal for the year 2000 of reducing alcohol-related traffic deaths by 20 percent in 1997. After this point, according to several hard-hitting stories on MADD, the organization’s focus began to shift. At the time, with a $46 million organization, and with problem of drunk driving reduced to what MADD’s then-president Katherine Prescott said was “a hard core of alcoholics who do not respond to public appeal.” Instead of going after this hard-core group, however, MADD revised its goals to go after anyone who drinks and drives.
Their slogans changed from “Don’t Drive Drunk” to “Don’t Drink and Drive.” This neo-prohibitionist ideology is what caused Lightner to break ranks with the organization she founded. In the latest iteration of MADD, the onus is on anyone who has anything to drink (even a glass of wine with dinner) and then gets behind the wheel. There is no room in their belief set for responsible drinking. It’s all anti-alcohol.
Similarly, they don’t seek to have the courts go after repeat offenders and those who are too drunk to drive. What they do endorse is higher taxes on alcoholic beverages, increased roadblocks by police, and lowering drunk driving arrest thresholds even further.
In an example of reaching too far, in 2004 MADD called for a “mandatory provision in every separation agreement and divorce decree that prohibits either parent from drinking and driving…with minor children in the vehicle.” Violations, asserted MADD, should result in severe penalties, including license suspension, jail, and even “termination of parental rights.”
Apparently, the storm of criticism such statement caused resulted in MADD’s softening its stance and in refining their goals to again concentrate on drunk drivers. In 2010, MADD’s new focus is the Campaign to Eliminate Drunk Driving. The campaign seeks to abolish drunk driving through four pillars:
• Increased driving under the influence (DUI) enforcement
• Use of alcohol ignition interlock technologies to reduce repeat offenses
• Exploration and development of advanced vehicle-based technology
• Public support
MADD encourages concerned citizens to take the pledge to eliminate drunk driving. Their literature states that 12,000 people are killed every year by drunk drivers with an illegal alcohol level of .08 BAC or above. It goes on to say, “Every month, more than 1,000 families must live with the tragic consequences of drunk driving.” What is the reasoning behind the campaign? According to the organization’s literature, “Since MADD was founded in 1980, alcohol-related fatalities have declined by more than 40 percent, but progress has stalled in recent years.”
Some Important Statistics
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), there were 11,773 alcohol-impaired driving fatalities in 2008, down 10 percent from 13,041 in 2007. NHTSA defines an alcohol impaired driving crash as one involving at least one driver or motorcycle rider (operator) with a BAC of .08 grams per deciliter or higher. Texas, California and Florida lead the states with the most alcohol-impaired driving fatalities in both 2007 and 2008.
Other statistics from NHTSA:
• In 2008, all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico had by law created a threshold making it illegal to drive per se with a BAC of .08 or higher.
• The 11,773 fatalities in alcohol-impaired driving crashes in 2008 represent an average of one alcohol-impaired-driving fatality every 45 minutes.
• Drivers with BAC of .08 or higher involved in fatal crashes were eight times more likely to have a prior conviction for driving while impaired (DWI) than were drivers with no alcohol.
MADD Milestones
Since its founding in 1980, MADD has achieved significant milestones. According to highlights from its 25th anniversary brochure, some of these milestones include:
• 1982 – Presidential Commission on Drunk Driving formed; bill enacted giving states federal funds for anti-drunk driving efforts; 100 MADD chapters by year’s end
• 1983 – Made-for-TV movie about MADD airs on NBC; 129 anti-drunk driving laws passed by year’s end; MADD’s national office moves to Texas
• 1984 – Federal 21 Minimum Drinking Age Act signed into law July 17; organization changes its name to Mothers Against Drunk Driving; by year’s end, more than 330 MADD chapters have formed in 47 states
• 1986 – Victims Assistance Institute established; Project Red Ribbon (Tie One On For Safety) launched
• 1987 – 1-800-GET-MADD launched; MADD amicus brief to the U.S. Supreme Court helps uphold federal drinking age
• 1987 – MADD launches MADDvocate magazine; all states and Washington, D.C. pass federal 21 drinking age law; omnibus anti-drug abuse act signed – with amendments extending crime victim compensation rights to DUI/DWI victims and increased incentives for states enacting key DUI/DWI laws
• 1989 – MADD launches Victim Impact Panel program
• 1995 – Federal zero tolerance law passes in Congress
• 1996 – MADD launches Youth in Action program; MADD launches website, www.madd.org
• 1997 – 20 to 2000 goal achieved 3 years ahead of schedule; MADD launches DRIVEN magazine; MADD holds first National Youth Summit to Prevent Underage Drinking in Washington, D.C.
• 1998 – First youth elected to national board of directors; zero tolerance legislation passes in all states; MADD commemorates Kentucky bus crash – the nation’s worst alcohol-related crash
• 1999 – MADD expands mission to include prevention of underage drinking; higher risk driver program released
• 2000 – 20th anniversary rally at U.S. Capitol; MADD grows to about 600 chapters and 2 million members/supporters; national .08 BAC measures (part of Federal Transportation Appropriations Bill) signed into law; second MADD national youth summit to prevent underage drinking takes place in Washington, D.C.
• 2001 – MADD named one of Worth magazine’s 100 Best Charities in America; MADD releases College Commission Report to Address Alcohol’s Impact on America’s College Campuses; UMADD (Protecting You/Protecting Me and Pasa Las Laves – Pass the Keys) launched
• 2002 – MADD introduces 8-point plan to reduce alcohol-related traffic deaths and injuries; MADD launches Spanish-language version of website; Protecting You/Protecting Me established as a model program by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), Center for Substance Abuse and Treatment (CSAP)
• 2003 – MADD testifies before Senate subcommittees regarding highway safety initiatives; first MADD media awards held; MADD receives Fries Prize for Improving Health from Healthtrac Foundation
• 2004 – First law enforcement leadership summit held; MADD testifies before Congress in the U.S. House Education Reform Subcommittee on underage drinking issues; Every Child Deserves a Designated Driver released; Strides For Change launched; all states and Washington, D.C. pass .08 BAC as the illegal drunk driving limit; MADD receives Haddon Award from the International Council on Alcohol, Drugs and Traffic Safety; MADD honored with Charity of the Year Award from DMA Nonprofit Federation
• 2005 – Glynn Birch becomes MADD’s first male national president; 1-877-MADD-HELP 24-hour victim helpline launched; 21st anniversary of 21 minimum drinking age law commemorated with 21-city national “Night of Compliance”; 25th anniversary rally and “Moment of Drums” held in Washington, D.C.
Where MADD Stands on Important Issues
It’s important to know MADD’s current stand on important issues.
• Alcohol Assessment and Treatment – MADD supports a number of assessment and treatment requirements, funds for impaired driving education programs, increasing taxes on alcoholic beverages, increasing excise taxes on wine and beer, and opposing diversionary or probation programs for those charged with DUI/DWI. To see the full MADD positions on these, as well as insurance industry barriers and DUI/DWI courts, go to http://www.madd.org/Media-Center/Media-Center/Official-Position-Statements/Position-Statements/Alcohol-Related.aspx.
• Other Positions – Use this link to get to MADD’s official position statements on other issues, including enforcement, responsible marketing and service, sanctions, victim-related position statements, youth, and other positions.
• Ignition Interlock – MADD is dedicated to supporting state legislation expanding the use of current alcohol ignition interlock technology and wants interlocks mandatory for all convicted drunk drivers in all 50 states.
• High Visibility Law Enforcement – MADD supports twice-yearly crackdowns on drunk driving and heightened law enforcement before holiday periods, such as Labor Day and December holidays. To this end, MADD supports saturation patrols and sobriety checkpoints.
• Advanced Vehicle Technology – MADD supports the work of researchers to create voluntary advanced in-vehicle technology that prevents an impaired driver from operating the vehicle, as long as the technology is non-intrusive to a sober driver. Partnering with leaders in traffic safety and the automotive industry, MADD hopes to explore reduction in drunk driving through the following technologies:
o Advanced breath testing – both individual testing and testing for alcohol in the vehicle
o Use of visible light to measure blood alcohol content (BAC) through spectroscopy
o Use of non-invasive touch-based systems to measure BAC through the skin
o Eye-movement measurement technology – including involuntary eye movements related to BAC and eye closure, which may indicate drowsiness
MADD Positions Stir Controversy
Several of MADD’s positions have caused controversy, particularly those calling for ignition interlocks for all new cars, and increasing sobriety checkpoints. Some of the criticism comes from the American Beverage Institute (ABI), an organization dedicated to the protection of responsible on-premise consumption of adult beverages. ABI’s website marketing slogan is “Drink Responsibly. Drive Responsibly.”
On the issue of sobriety checkpoints, ABI urges police to forego checkpoints and, instead, “rove the highways in search of the erratic driving typical of drunk drivers.” They point to a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) study that found that, “The number of DWI [driving while intoxicated] arrests made by the roving patrol program was nearly three times the average number of DWIs made by the checkpoint programs.”
ABI is also against ignition interlocks for first-time DUI offenders with low BAC. Many states now require repeat offenders to have ignition interlocks installed on their cars, but some state legislatures are approving legislation aimed at first-time offenders, “often drivers who are only one sip above the limit.” ABI cites research that drivers who are one sip above the limit are more capable of driving than those talking on a hands-free cell phone, driving while drowsy, or speeding excessively over the posted limit. ABI believes such legislation is the first step toward the long-term goal of anti-alcohol groups (such as MADD) for universal interlocks for all new cars. ABI comments that drunk drivers will always find a way around this technology, while “millions of responsible social drinkers will be inconvenienced.”
Cost is another factor that needs to be considered in state ignition interlock laws. After the New Mexico Department of Transportation issued a statement in early February 2010 that the state’s ignition interlock indigent fund had run out of money, ABI’s blog posting read, “As we’ve been saying, interlock laws are not budget-neutral. Not only do states have to think about indigent funds, they also have to pour millions into enforcement.
Randy Elder, scientific director for systematic reviews at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Community Guide Branch, said this about interlocks: “They’re not a silver bullet. It does cost money to monitor them and it’s an administrative burden.” He further explained that people “tend to revert back to what they were doing before the interlock was installed. Interlocks work while they are in the car, but they don’t have any lasting effects.”
The American Probation and Patrol Association (APPA) said in 2009 that ignition interlock technology is a promising tool that can aid in reducing drunk driving behavior, but it is not a program. It is a tool, and should be part of a comprehensive response to change substance-abusing behaviors. Evidence-based responses that do work require a balance of monitoring, intervention and treatment.
ABI proposes “real solutions to reduce drunk driving” such as:
• Alcoholism Screening – States should implement mandatory offender-paid alcoholism screening and treatment. ABI’s website states, “By the time a drunk driver is pulled over, he has already placed others in danger. Unless the underlying product abuse is dealt with, this ‘hard core’ is not likely to learn its lesson.”
• Roving Patrols – Decades of research show that roving patrols are more effective than roadblocks at arresting drunk drivers. Random roadblocks result in a very low arrest rate while roving patrols are on the lookout for dangerous driving behavior. ABI asserts, “This suspicion-based procedure not only respects constitutional rights but also vastly increases arrest rates, since law enforcement is tracking down offenders, not waiting for drunk drivers to drive through a stationary roadblock.”
• Graduated Penalties – ABI supports a multi-tiered system of sanctions in which drivers with very high BAC levels and multiple drunk driving convictions receive appropriate punishment. Beyond stiff penalties (fines and/or jail time), a graduated penalties system also encompasses requirements for extensive alcohol screening and treatment – so that drivers with alcohol abuse problems can get the help they need to change their behavior.
Where Does MADD Go from Here?
There is no question that the goal to reduce deaths caused by drunk driving is a laudable effort and one that should continue. No one argues that position. How we get there is another issue, and it’s this that continues to stir controversy. Will there ever be a meeting of the minds, where all entities agree on common and workable solutions to the problem of drunk driving? The only thing that concerned citizens can do is continue to educate themselves on current positions by industry and trade groups, substance abuse prevention and treatment organizations, lawmakers, MADD, educators, parents and community groups, and vigorously support the best and most reasoned – and those with evidence-based success – solutions.
In the end, it isn’t about abolishing alcohol completely. It isn’t about who can shout the loudest or which group has the best PR campaigns or the biggest marketing budgets (or even where they spend their money). It isn’t all about the latest technology that can prevent operation of a vehicle or mandating interlocks on all vehicles, period. It is about taking a proactive and comprehensive look at balanced solutions to drunk driving that cover monitoring, intervention and treatment of affected individuals.
So, where does – or should – MADD go from here? In its 2007-2008 annual report, MADD states: “The mission of Mothers Against Drunk Driving is to stop drunk driving, support the victims of this violent crime and prevent underage drinking.” Notice the words include the goal to stop “drunk driving.” The current mission statement was revised in 1999 to incorporate “prevent underage drinking” and marks the fifth mission statement revision. The organization’s leaders should continue to look at all the available evidence and not, as some critics have argued, twist facts to suit their purposes. Going forward, MADD should continue to revise their goals to reflect solutions that truly work.
Can they do it? MADD is a huge organization with a track record of years of dedication. Looking forward, in this 30th year of its existence, MADD can continue to make a difference just as its 25th anniversary brochure proclaimed, “One saved life at a time.”
Tags: Drunk Driving, MADD
