| "Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) was | | | | Neo-Prohibitionist? |
| founded in 1980 by Candy Lightner, whose | | | | |
| daughter was tragically killed by a drunk | | | | Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) began |
| driver who was a repeat offender. The goal of | | | | with the admirable goal of reducing drunk |
| MADD was to reduce drunk driving traffic | | | | driving traffic fatalities by educating the |
| fatalities and the organization has been | | | | nation about the devastation caused by drunk |
| highly effective in raising public | | | | drivers. For the first 15 years, this |
| disapproval of drunk driving. The proportion | | | | strategy paid off: MADD's public relations |
| of traffic fatalities that are | | | | campaigns played a key role in changing the |
| alcohol-related has dropped dramatically, in | | | | nation's attitude about drunk driving, |
| part because of MADD's good efforts. MADD is | | | | resulting in a huge drop-off in drunk driving |
| a single-issue non-profit anti-drunk driving | | | | deaths. MADD was so successful that it |
| organization in the United States and with a | | | | reached its goal for 2000 (to reduce |
| branch in Canada (see MADD Canada). MADD is | | | | alcohol-related deaths by 20%) in 1997. |
| based in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex | | | | |
| suburb of Irving, Texas. | | | | MADD's campaign to make adult beverages more |
| | | | expensive through drastically increased taxes |
| MADD's Goal: Is it Neo-Prohibitionist? | | | | is another major tactic in their war on |
| | | | responsible drinking. MADD says these tax |
| Mothers Against Drunk Driving stigmatizes | | | | hikes are a way to reduce underage drinking |
| light or moderate alcohol consumption, even | | | | -- but lacks real evidence that taxes are |
| when it isn't associated with either being | | | | more likely to reduce underage drinking than |
| underage or driving. For example: | | | | moderate consumption by responsible adults. |
| | | | |
| 1. MADD sells a graphic showing two empty | | | | MADD founder Candy Lightner has broken ties |
| glasses of alcohol surrounded by the words | | | | with the group. In 2002, she told the |
| assault, drowning, burns, rape and suicide. | | | | Washington Times, "[MADD] has become far more |
| | | | neo-prohibitionist than I had ever wanted or |
| 2. MADD sells a graphic that equates beer | | | | envisioned … I didn't start MADD to |
| with heroin by depicting a beer bottle as a | | | | deal with alcohol. I started MADD to deal |
| drug syringe. | | | | with the issue of drunk driving." |
| | | | |
| 3. MADD sells a television ad insisting that | | | | In the 1980s, MADD had success in helping |
| ""if you think there's a difference"" between | | | | change public attitudes and laws regarding |
| heroin and alcohol, ""you're dead wrong."" | | | | driving under the influence (DUI). Since 1980 |
| | | | (the year Mothers Against Drunk Driving was |
| Mothers Against Drunk Driving has clearly | | | | founded), alcohol-related traffic fatalities |
| become not simply anti-drunk driving or even | | | | have decreased by about 44 percent, from over |
| anti-impaired driving, but anti-alcohol. | | | | 30,000 to under 17,000 and MADD has helped |
| MADD's temperance orientation expresses | | | | save over 300,000 lives. |
| itself in many ways, as seen in Is MADD | | | | |