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Tie One On For Safety

Tie One On for Safety (TOOFS) asks Americans to place a MADD ribbon or window decal on their vehicles or tie one to their car keys as a pledge to drive safe, sober and buckled up during the holidays and throughout the year. It also reminds other drivers and passengers to do the same.

“Drive Safe, Sober And Buckled Up”

During November and December, spirits are high, celebrations abound and travel increases on America's roadways. Unfortunately, drunk driving is usually on the rise as well.  That’s why MADD conducts Tie One On For Safety, our popular public awareness campaign, each year during the winter holiday season.

Tie One On For Safety asks Americans to place a MADD ribbon or window decal on their vehicles as a pledge to drive safe, sober and buckled up during the holidays and throughout the year.  Our message includes safety belts because they’re the best defense against a drunk driver. 

Activities to support the campaign are organized by a majority of MADD’s 400 offices across the country.  Together, we distribute more than 6 million ribbons and ribbon symbols each year.
 

Statistics and Implications

Tie One On For Safety runs Thanksgiving through New Year’s Day – the period when road travel increases and the threat of drunk driving is most prevalent.

  • Each year, nationally, more than 1,000 people typically die between Thanksgiving through New Year’s in drunk driving crashes, and more than 2,000 are killed in drunk driving crashes and/or crashes where safety belts were not used.
  • In 2007, 12,998 people were killed in crashes involving a driver with BAC of .08 or greater. (NHTSA 2008)
  • Alcohol-related crashes cost the American public an estimated $114.3 billion and people other than the drunk driver paid $71.6 billion of that amount. (Taylor, Miller and Cox 2002)
  • More drunk driving facts and statistics
 
Tie One On For Safety Goals
  • Recruit the public to tie a MADD red ribbon to their vehicles or display a window decal as a pledge to drive safe, sober and buckled up and to support MADD’s Campaign to Eliminate Drunk Driving.
  • Increase awareness about drunk driving during the holiday season
  • Offer suggestions to deter drunk driving through MADD’s safe party tips and the promotion of designate a sober driver programs.
  • Increase MADD's identity with the MADD ribbon and its symbolic meaning to prevent drunk driving and help save lives. 
History
MADD created Tie One On For Safety – originally named the 'Project Red Ribbon' campaign – in 1986 to help heighten public awareness about drinking and driving during the holiday season.  The program was designed to encourage the public to take action against drunk driving by tying a MADD ribbon to their vehicle’s antenna or side mirror.
 
Previous national campaign chairpersons have included Connie Sellecca, Joan Lunden, Naomi Judd and Kelly Ripa.  These celebrities supported the campaign by appearing at national events or other media appearances and through pubic service ads.
 

Today, MADD has incorporated Tie One On For Safety into its Campaign to Eliminate Drunk Driving,  which calls for The Campaign calls for

  1. Intensive, high-visibility law enforcement efforts, including sobriety checkpoints and saturation patrols
  2. Alcohol ignition interlocks installed on the vehicles of all convicted drunk drivers
  3. Research of transparent, vehicle-based technologies that will prevent people from driving drunk
  4. Grassroots support of all of these efforts
 
PSAs
MADD has print, radio and television PSAs for the holiday season and year-round. Encourage your local media to run the PSAs to help save lives during the heavily traveled holiday season.

Tie One On For Safety

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Get Involved
It’s easy to help reduce drunk driving through Tie One On For Safety. Click here to locate your local MADD office  – then make a call to find out how you can help. Here are some great ideas to start with:
  • Attach a MADD ribbon or decal in a prominent place on your own vehicle.
  • Always designate a non-drinking driver before drinking begins.
  • Provide MADD ribbons to your office or place of worship.
  • Record a phone message about safe and sober driving during the holiday season.
  • Set up a MADD ribbon distribution box in your office or church.
  • Display drunk driving statistics in the lobby of your office or place of worship.
  • Provide MADD ribbons for the local transit authority.
  • Mail MADD ribbons to community leaders.
  • Pass out MADD ribbons as people leave any meeting to drive home.
  • Be a responsible party host during the holiday season. Click here for MADD’s Safe Party Guide.

TOOFS Materials  

If you are a MADD employee, you can order materials from MADD’s Online store, via the intranet. If you are a member of the public and would like to obtain TOOFS materials, please contact your local affiliate.