Hawaii Joins National Event – Saturation Saturday

On Saturday, Aug. 26, MADD Hawaii staff and volunteers teamed up with law enforcement in Hawaii for “Saturation Saturday,” an annual effort to saturate communities with facts, tips, law enforcement patrols and sobriety checkpoints to stop impaired driving. Saturation Saturday kicked off one of the busiest travel weeks of the year and comes at a time when traffic fatalities are at a 16-year high, with 41% of fatal crashes during Labor Day weekend due to drunk driving. It’s a timely reminder of the risks associated with impaired driving during the holiday season.

 This year, MADD is working to spotlight the dangers of all forms of impaired driving, which includes drunk and drugged driving, as well as the use of multiple substances, or “poly use.” There is a growing body of state and academic data showing that even experienced cannabis users experience physiological effects that impair driving and can be dangerous, even over short distances.  

 Saturation Saturday events in Hawaii included sobriety checkpoints, increased DUI patrols and other high-visibility enforcement efforts aimed at catching those who choose to drive under the influence of alcohol and other drugs. Across the country and in Hawaii, MADD staff and volunteers shared facts and victim stories and supported sobriety checkpoints, handing out materials on the dangers of impaired driving. 

 “There is no good reason to risk the serious consequences associated with impaired driving, most notably hurting or even killing yourself or someone else. We want everyone to have a good time, and that means choosing not to drive if there’s a chance you’re impaired,” said MADD CEO Stacey D. Stewart.  “Since 2018, nationwide we have seen a 27% increase in deaths caused by drunk driving and the number rises as we head toward Labor Day weekend. This ‘Saturation Saturday’ and every day, MADD works closely with law enforcement to stop drunk driving, which is a 100% preventable crime.”