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MADD ‘War Room’ Effort Simultaneously Receives GHSA Peter K. O’Rourke Special Achievement Award and NSC Green Cross for Safety Award

WASHINGTON – Mothers Against Drunk Driving® (MADD) is honored to receive two awards from esteemed safety organizations, both on Tuesday, September 20. MADD received the 2022 Peter K. O’Rourke Special Achievement Award from the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) during the GHSA Annual Meeting in Louisville, Kentucky. And the National Safety Council named MADD the winner of its Green Cross for Safety® – Advocate Award during its annual awards ceremony.

MADD’s ‘War Room’ met throughout 2021 to strategize on winning support for impaired driving prevention technology in all new cars. A requirement for NTSA to set a new auto technology standard was passed into law in November 2021.

Both awards spotlighted MADD’s “War Room” effort to win passage of the HALT Drunk Driving Act, which was part of MADD’s campaign to ensure that all new cars are equipped with drunk driving prevention technology by 2027.

“We are thrilled and honored to be recognized by both of these distinguished organizations,” said MADD National President Alex Otte. “This recognition is shared by all MADD victims, survivors and advocates who have participated in our War Room effort and spotlights their individual and collective devotion to saving lives, preventing injuries and putting an end to impaired driving.”

The War Room families’ engagement — directly reaching out to their members of Congress, including many who serve on key committees overseeing auto safety — was the game changer in getting this legislation passed.

War Room participants advocated courageously in honor of their lost loved ones and as injured survivors of impaired driving. Each War Room meeting opened with a group member sharing how their life was shattered by a drunk driver. The War Room calls were tough, but the victims built a powerful community for change.

MADD’s War Room has continued to play an essential and strategic role during the current phase of advocacy, since passage of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. War Room members presented key legislative leaders with MADD’s “Legislative Hero Award” to recognize their steadfast commitment to saving lives with automotive safety technology. And the War Room has continued to draw attention to the critical importance of the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) carrying out their congressionally mandated requirement of issuing a final safety standard for this technology within the timeframe prescribed under the law.

For more information about the HALT Act, visit https://madd.org/haltact/

About the Awards

  • GHSA: The Peter K. O’Rourke Award recognizes notable achievements in the field of highway safety by individuals, coalitions, organizations, nonprofit groups, businesses, media, government agencies, universities or programs.
  • NSC: The Green Cross for Safety® Awards are among the most prestigious awards bestowed by the National Safety Council (NSC). Its Green Cross for Safety® – Advocate Award recognizes a community partnership, program, individual or coalition that has made a significant impact on a safety issue by advocating for proven or promising practices to raise awareness or change policy to prevent further injuries and deaths.

About Mothers Against Drunk Driving

Founded in 1980 by a mother whose daughter was killed by a drunk driver, Mothers Against Drunk Driving® (MADD) is the nation’s largest nonprofit working to end drunk driving, help fight drugged driving, support the victims of these violent crimes and prevent underage drinking. MADD has helped to save more than 400,000 lives, reduce drunk driving deaths by more than 50% and promote designating a non-drinking driver. MADD’s Campaign to Eliminate Drunk Driving® calls for law enforcement support, ignition interlocks for all offenders and advanced vehicle technology. MADD has provided supportive services to nearly one million drunk and drugged driving victims and survivors at no charge through local victim advocates and the 24-Hour Victim Help Line 1-877-MADD-HELP. Visit www.madd.org or call 1-877-ASK-MADD.

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