Plan Ahead To Be a Designated Rider
Dallas, Texas – Mothers Against Drunk Driving® (MADD) is urging everyone whose plans include alcohol on St. Patrick’s Day to plan ahead for a non-drinking driver to get them home safely. Don’t count on luck to keep yourself and everyone around you safe — choose to be a designated rider.
With St. Patrick’s Day falling on a Saturday this year, more people could be on the road to celebrate. Law enforcement across the country will be in full force with the Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign to arrest anyone who makes the dangerous decision to drink and drive.
“I am pleading with everyone to make the safe choice of designating a driver if they plan to drink alcohol around St. Paddy’s Day,” said MADD National President Colleen Sheehey-Church. “I hope the day is fun and exciting, and also safe for people all around the country.”
Tragically, March 17 has become a dangerous holiday on our nation’s roads. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration:
In 2016, 39 percent of all motor vehicle crash fatalities involved drunk drivers.
Between midnight and 5:59 a.m., nearly 69 percent of all crash fatalities involved drunk drivers.
From 2012 to 2016, 269 people were killed in drunk driving crashes during this holiday period, accounting for 38 percent of all crashes.
Drunk driving is the leading killer on our roads and claims the lives of more than 10,000 people in the United States each year, and every single one of those deaths is preventable. With all the options today — rideshare apps, such as Uber, taxis, public transportation or family and friends who have not consumed alcohol — there’s no excuse to drink and drive.
Contact Fatima.ali@madd.org for interview requests.
About Mothers Against Drunk Driving
Founded in 1980 by a mother whose daughter was killed by a drunk driver, Mothers Against Drunk Driving® (MADD) is the nation’s largest nonprofit working to end drunk driving, help fight drugged driving, support the victims of these violent crimes and prevent underage drinking. MADD has helped to save more than 340,000 lives, reduce drunk driving deaths by more than 50 percent and promote designating a non-drinking driver. MADD’s Campaign to Eliminate Drunk Driving® calls for law enforcement support, ignition interlocks for all offenders and advanced vehicle technology. MADD has provided supportive services to nearly one million drunk and drugged driving victims and survivors at no charge through local victim advocates and the 24-Hour Victim Help Line 1-877-MADD-HELP. Visit www.madd.org or call 1-877-ASK-MADD.
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