RID
As their website states, RID (Remove Intoxicated Drivers) is “the oldest anti-DWI national organization in the US.” Though this was the flagship organization for the “Stop DWI” movement, the site is now old and has nothing in the way of recent information. There are still good facts and information on the site, and contact information should you want to know more or join the cause, but other sites seem to be doing more today to bring about drunk driving awareness and help put an end to it.
MADD
Now in it’s 28th year, MADD was the second and is now easily the most recognizable organization leading the fight against drunk driving. In 1980, Mothers Against Drunk Driving grew from the grief of one mother over the loss of her young daughter to a drunk driver. She saw that although laws existed to deal with a drunk driving situation, they simply weren’t being enforced. She banded together with other mothers that had lost children to drunk drivers and, beginning with only their determination to make a difference, they formed MADD and started to fight back. The story of MADD is inspirational and heartwarming. They have now become “the” organization people go to when they want to stop DWI injuries and fatalities in their own neighborhoods. As you will see, other groups have sprouted in the image of MADD to help in the fight.
SADD
This writer was truly impressed with the organization known as SADD – Students Against Destructive Decisions. As a parent of teenage children myself, it was refreshing to see other teenagers across the country doing what they could to bring awareness to the problems of not only drinking and driving, but other life-damaging decisions. SADD began as an organization to help young people “just say no” to drinking and driving. Fortunately, those involved had the foresight that today’s youth face far more potential threatsthan just drunk driving. Drug use, impaired driving, teen violence, and teen depression are all within SADD’s scope and are targets they are trying hard to take down. Their site lit a fire under this writer and my eldest and I are looking into beginning a local chapter of SADD in our town – we’ll keep you informed as to how it goes. Not to sound cliche, but children really are our future. It’s up to all of us to make sure they have one to look forward to.
BADD
When talking about drunk driving, it’s easy to make the assumption that we’re talking about being on dry land. The people at BADD want to remind us that drinking while operating a boat (or BUI) is just as dangerous and has its own set of perils we need to be aware of. This phenomenon has been getting increased awareness over the years. People magazine ran a great BUI article in 2003 that detailed this serious problem that arises, primarily, during Spring Break at various locales. There is even a “I was arrested during Spring Break” show on TV that lets viewers watch just how uninformed and careless boaters are to this issue. As BADD would have us remember, “You’re in Command, Be Responsible, Boat Safely!”
BADD Central
The words flashing across the header of this site are a wake-up call…”One person dies every 20 minutes from drunk driving.” The organization BADD Central began in 1986 after founder Danny Perkins saw two drunk driving tragedies strike his family in only a few years – the second one was to himself. The mission of BADD Central is not only to bring awareness of the horrors of drunk driving to the biking community and to other drivers, but to assist victims that are in need of financial and medical support. This has led them to becoming North America’s leading motorcycle charitable organization! Seriously, I have to ask, what better acronym could you come up with for bikers?
What You Can Do Locally…
Each of these organizations form local chapters that may be in your area. Look around – if one (or more) of them excite you and you want to help out, then join the cause and do your part. If you don’t see what you want in the local chapters, start your own organization and spread the word! How about Singers Totally Opposing Reckless Motorists (STORM), Teachers Hope We Are Responsible Travelers (THWART), or whatever great acronym fits your group. Whatever you do – be active. Do whatever you are able and together we can end drunk driving accidents for good.
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