| Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) has | | | | driver with a .08 blood alcohol content or |
| today announced significant state legislative | | | | higher rose from 13,613 in 2005 to 13,990 in |
| victories in Arizona and Illinois that | | | | 2006, representing almost a 3 percent |
| mandate alcohol ignition interlocks for all | | | | increase. At the same time, overall traffic |
| convicted drunk drivers, moving one step | | | | fatalities were down slightly by 0.3 percent. |
| closer to its goal of a drunk-driving free | | | | |
| America. The legislative progress is part of | | | | The Campaign to Eliminate Drunk Driving's |
| a bold new offensive in MADD's Campaign to | | | | four elements include full implementation of |
| Eliminate Drunk Driving, launched in November | | | | alcohol ignition interlocks for all convicted |
| 2006. | | | | drunk drivers, intensive high-visibility law |
| | | | enforcement, development of advanced vehicle |
| "Our vision of eliminating drunk driving is | | | | technologies to prevent drunk driving and |
| one step closer to becoming a reality," said | | | | grassroots support led by MADD and its 400+ |
| MADD National President Glynn Birch. "As part | | | | affiliates. |
| of MADD's Campaign to Eliminate Drunk | | | | |
| Driving, we will continue to work nationwide | | | | "It's clear that more of the same will not |
| until every state does what Arizona and | | | | help in the fight to make our roads safer," |
| Illinois have done." | | | | Birch said. "We still have states without the |
| | | | most effective tools in place to deter and |
| MADD is likewise calling for congressional | | | | stop drunk driving -- sobriety checkpoints |
| hearings to create a comprehensive strategy | | | | and ignition interlocks. These tools stop |
| built upon solutions proven to work. MADD's | | | | higher-risk offenders and first-time drunk |
| National Board of Directors met recently with | | | | drivers. There is no justification for not |
| members of Congress to champion the Campaign | | | | using the tools we know will save lives and |
| to Eliminate Drunk Driving and lobby for | | | | prevent injuries." |
| increased focus on the issue of drunk | | | | |
| driving. | | | | Last year, nearly 14,000 people were killed |
| | | | by drunk drivers with an illegal BAC of .08 |
| The need for the Campaign to Eliminate Drunk | | | | or above and countless others were injured. |
| Driving has been underscored by a recent | | | | This represents more than 1,000 families |
| federal report showing that drunk driving | | | | every month that must live with the tragic |
| deaths are at their highest point since 1992, | | | | consequences of drunk driving. |
| according to preliminary figures. | | | | |
| | | | That's right. Brand new Honda headlights |
| According to the National Highway Traffic | | | | won't really make any difference if you're |
| Safety Administration, fatalities involving a | | | | driving drunk. |