Dear MADD Community,
As we look forward to the upcoming holiday season and the joy and togetherness we hope to experience with those we love, I feel compelled to address the alarming increase in incidents of drunk driving, especially during this time of the year.
The reasons behind this increase are complex and multifaceted. The holiday season often brings joy, celebration, and a spirit of togetherness, but the confluence of holiday parties and festive gatherings, combined with the excessive consumption of alcoholic beverages can lead to more drunk drivers on the road. We must remember that impaired driving is a choice, and choices can be influenced and changed.
In response to this issue, MADD is redoubling our efforts to combat drunk and drugged driving. We are proud to launch our new campaign, ToGetThere. The aim is to reduce the 21 million chances people will be directly impacted by a drunk driver this holiday season and to get them there, safely. This figure comes from a CDC report highlighting 347,000 incidents of drunk driving every day, multiplied by 61 days between November 1 and December 31. That means every time we or our loved ones get on the road, there is a significant risk of being hit by a drunk driver.
ToGetThere is also a recognition of the 43 years it took for MADD to get “here,” helping to reduce the number of drunk driving deaths by 50% since 1980. Yet, our goal is to get “there,” to a world in which impairment puts no lives at risk. And to get “there,” we need to work together.
You can take part in this new initiative by donating to support MADD’s lifesaving prevention programs signing the pledge ToGetThere safely at madd.org/togetthere and sharing your commitment on social with #ToGetThere. We hope to see our supporters’ social feeds filled with messages of solidarity to get there safely in the hope we can ensure others will be able to enjoy their holiday season. We also offer safe party tips, tips on how to speak to someone who is impaired and may want to drive, and a toolkit for companies who want to integrate the campaign into their holiday gatherings. Watch our powerful new video and hear directly from the voices of victims and survivors on what they wish they had known before losing a loved one in an impaired driving crash.
I firmly believe that the most powerful weapon in our fight against drunk and drugged driving is the collective will of our society. We must all take a stand and make responsible choices to protect ourselves and those around us. We can only truly overcome the scourge of impaired driving if we all work ToGetThere, together. This holiday season let’s make it our collective goal to ensure that every celebration ends safely. Together, we can save lives and create safer communities for everyone.
Thank you for your continued support and dedication to our mission.
Sincerely,
Stacey D. Stewart
CEO, Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD)
