This is the 35th anniversary of the Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) “Tie One On for Safety Holiday Campaign”. During the holiday season from Thanksgiving through New Year’s Day, MADD encourages everyone to tie a red ribbon, or place red ribbon magnets, on their car as a reminder to always designate a non-drinking driver.
What is MADD?Mothers Against Drunk Driving was founded in 1980 by a mother whose daughter was killed by a drunk driver. It is the largest nonprofit organization in the US working to fight drunk driving, drugged driving, and support the victims of these crimes. The organization is credited with helping to reduce drunk driving deaths by 50% since it was founded.
Here are some statistics around drunk driving:
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Drunk driving is still the number 1 cause of death on roadways in the US.
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Adults drink too much and drive about 121 million times a year, which averages to more than 300,000 incidents per day of drinking and driving.
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10,142 people were killed in 2019 due to drunk driving, which is 29 people killed every day.
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300,000 people per year are injured by drunk driving.
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The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) traffic fatality estimates show that crashes have skyrocketed during the pandemic, largely due to impaired driving, speeding, and not wearing seatbelts. An estimated 20,160 people died in traffic crashes in the first half of 2021, the largest number of projected traffic fatalities in that time frame since 2006.
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Other NHTSA information indicates a significant increase in the presence of alcohol or other drugs (or a combination of more than one impairing substance) in seriously and fatally injured patients at five trauma centers since March 2020.
What is the Tie One On for Safety Holiday Campaign?
The campaign encourages everyone to put a red ribbon on their car during the holiday season to help remind people to always designate a non-drinking driver. This time of year, more people are on the roads due to holiday travel, parties, and family gatherings. The holidays are also traditionally more dangerous on America’s roads. This makes it especially important to try to keep drunk drivers off the roads.
What can you do to help decrease drunk driving?
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Designated Drivers – If you are going out with friends, plan for one of you to be a non-drinking driver. If you are hosting friends or family at your home, confirm that your guests have a non-drinking driver.
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If you are hosting a party, be sure to have non-alcoholic drinks, including some “mocktails” for any guests who may be a designated driver or who just choose not to drink alcohol.
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Ride-Sharing Services or Cabs – There are several ride-sharing options now available.
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If you are out alone and have been drinking, use one to get you safely home.
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If you are with someone who is impaired and does not have a designated driver, arrange a ride for them.
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If you know you will be drinking, use a service to get to your destination so you won’t worry about leaving your car at the end of the night.
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Talk to your kids – Have meaningful conversations with your middle school and high school age children about the dangers of using impairing substances, including the dangers of driving if they have used an impairing substance like alcohol or marijuana. Kids’ brains work differently than adult brains. No matter how mature they may seem, they can make some pretty bad decisions sometimes.
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Make sure they have a ride-sharing app installed on their phone so that if they are in a situation where they are impaired, they can use it. You can deal with other consequences for their actions later, but in the moment, you want them to be as safe as possible if they do become impaired and should not be driving.
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Never ride with a driver who is impaired – And make sure your kids know that they should never get in the car with a driver who is impaired.
For more information, visit the MADD website at:
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Dr. Anita Bennett MD – Health Tip Content Editor