Florida Woman Arrested for 10th DUI

Sheriff’s officials are calling it a local record: an Ellenton woman was jailed Saturday on her 10th drunken-driving arrest.

Data from the Florida Department of Transportation shows there are about 108,000 drivers in Florida with more than three DUI convictions. Read the complete story from the Sarasota, Florida Herald Tribune.

Research shows that individuals convicted of drunk driving for the first time have driven drunk more than 87 times before their first arrest. People drive drunk because they can. MADD advocates mandatory ignition interlocks for all convicted drunk driving offenders.

Call on your lawmakers to support ignition interlocks for all convicted DUI offenders.

Far-Reaching Effects of Drunk Driving

A Courageous Family Carries on After the Death of a Beloved Mother, Daughter and Sister in a Drunk Driving Crash

When someone is killed in a drunk driving crash, family and friends are clearly devastated. In some families, the far-reaching impact of such a death seems endless. The case of 32-year-old Michelle Tull, of Madill, Oklahoma is one example.

Those most affected by her traumatic October 18, 2004 death were her immediate family – her parents, her three children and her three siblings, including a twin brother. The crash also changed another life forever: drunk driver Craig McClain, Michelle’s husband, who was convicted of first-degree manslaughter and sentenced to serve four years.

Read Michelle's story and learn more about free Victims Services provided by MADD.

Response to the Amethyst Initiative: Congressional, Public Health and Safety Leaders Support the 21 Minimum Legal Drinking Age

The 21 Minimum Legal Drinking Age Law has saved an estimated 1,000 lives per year over the last 24 years on and off the roadways and has helped reduce binge drinking (NHTSA, 2008; Smith, Branas and Miller, 1999). That is why MADD is gravely disappointed in the decision of more than 120 college and university presidents who have chosen to sign on to the Amethyst Initiative. It is apparent that the goal of this initiative, guided by Choose Responsibility, is to put pressure on elected officials to lower the minimum drinking age of 21.

Underage drinking, particularly in the university setting, is a serious problem that requires serious reflection. But we should examine this problem without jeopardizing a law that has saved nearly 25,000 lives since going into effect.

We are not alone in our concern our our support of the 21 Minimum Legal Drinking Age:

"As a three-time university president, I can tell you that losing a student to an alcohol-related tragedy is one of the hardest and most heart-rending experiences imaginable. Signing this initiative does serious harm to the education and enforcement efforts on our campuses and ultimately endangers young lives even more. I ask every higher education leader who has signed to reconsider. I am old enough to remember life on our campuses before the 21 year drinking rule. It was horrible." – University of Miami President and former U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Donna Shalala

"Drunk driving needlessly kills thousands of young people every year. That’s why I wrote a law to create a national drinking age of 21 and why we fight so hard to reduce drunk driving and save lives on our roads. This small minority of college administrators wants to undo years of success – that defies common sense. We need to do all we can to protect the national drinking age – a law that saves the lives of drivers, passengers and pedestrians across the country each year.” Senator Frank R. Lautenberg (D-NJ)

"The traffic safety and public health benefits of the 21 minimum drinking age law have been well established, with the Department of Transportation estimating nearly 1,000 lives saved each year as a result. I strongly support this lifesaving law, and will not consider any effort to repeal or weaken it in any way.” – Congressman James L. Oberstar (D-MN), Chairman, U.S. House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure

“Countless lives have been saved since Congress raised the national minimum drinking age to 21 in 1984. We need to maintain this important law and the life-saving protection it gives our teens and others on the roads.” – U.S. Senator David Vitter (R-LA), a member of the Subcommittee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment & Public Works

"It is impossible to ignore the scientific evidence demonstrating the dangers of underage drinking. A young adult’s brain is a work in progress, marked by significant development in areas of the brain responsible for learning, memory, complex thinking, planning, inhibition and emotional regulation. If we lower the age at which young adults are legally allowed to purchase alcohol, we are lowering the age of those who have easy access to alcohol and shifting responsibility to high school educators. The science simply does not support lowering the drinking age.” – Ronald M. Davis, Immediate Past President of the American Medical Association

Nationwide Insurance Survey Finds that Americans Overwhelmingly Reject an Ongoing Push to Lower the Legal Drinking Age from 21 to 18

A Nationwide Insurance survey released this week finds parents are fed up with “party schools” and politicians who support lowering drinking age.

According to the Nationwide Insurance survey:

• 78 percent of adults support 21 as the minimum drinking age
• 72 percent of adults think lowering the drinking age will make alcohol more accessible to kids
• Only 14 percent of Americans believe a lower drinking age will curb teen binge drinking
• Nearly half believe lowering the drinking age would increase binge drinking among teens
• More than half of the adults surveyed say would not send their children to colleges or universities with “party school” reputations
• More than half say they are unlikely to vote for a state representative who supports lowering the legal limit.

For two decades the legal drinking age in the U.S. has been 21. But during the last 18 months, nine states have entertained the idea of lowering the drinking age minimum and three states have live legislation. And more than 100 college and university presidents have signed on to a misguided initiative that uses deliberately misleading information to confuse the public on the effectiveness of 21 law. The public strongly disagrees with efforts to lower the drinking age.

Make your voice heard! Sign MADD's pledge to stand strongly united in support of the 21 minimum drinking age.

The 21 Law Saves Lives: University Presidents Misguided in Signing Amethyst Initiative to Discuss Lowering the Drinking Age

An estimated 25,000 lives have been saved by the 21 Minimum Legal Drinking Age, which is why it is so troubling that more than 100 college and university presidents have signed on to a misguided initiative that uses deliberately misleading information to confuse the public on the effectiveness of the 21 law.

MADD, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), the American Medical Association (AMA), National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), Governors Highway Safety Association and other science, medical and public health organizations call on these college and university presidents to remove their names from this list and urge them to work with the public health community and law enforcement on real solutions to underage and binge drinking. Additionally, MADD asks the public to write letters to the college presidents on this list asking them to remove their names and to support the 21 minimum legal drinking age.

Nebraska Man Pleads Guilty to His 9th DUI

A man charged with his ninth DUI will be sentenced this fall. Read the complete story from KOLN/KGIN.

Studies have shown that ignition interlocks are an average of 64 percent effective in reducing repeat drunk driving offenses. Contact your lawmakers and urge them to support ignition interlocks for all convicted drunk drivers.

All in the Family? New York Brothers Arrested for DWI

According to New York State Troopers, two brothers were arrested for driving while intoxicated and leaving the scene of a personal injury auto accident. Read the complete story from VoiceLedger.com.

Contact your lawmakers about mandating ignition interlock devices for all convicted drunk drivers.

Wisconsin Man Arrested for 10th Drunk Driving Offense

A Wisconsin man was in court this week facing his 10th charge of driving under the influence of alcohol. Read the complete story from The Capital Times.

Studies have shown that ignition interlocks are an average of 64 percent effective in reducing repeat drunk driving offenses. Contact your lawmakers and urge them to support ignition interlocks for all convicted drunk drivers.

Sign the Pledge to Eliminate Drunk Driving in Wisconsin.

Texas Man Gets Life Sentence for 10th DWI

A Texas man with nine previous drunken driving convictions was sentenced to life in prison. Read the complete story from KTVT.

The goal of MADD’s Campaign to Eliminate Drunk Driving is to end drunk driving permanently through:
1) High-visibility law enforcement, including sobriety checkpoints
2) Ignition interlock devices for all convicted drunk drivers
3) Advanced vehicle technologies that will prevent drunk driving
4) Public support

Florida Mother, Daughter Arrested on DUI Charges

Read the complete story from TCPalm.com.

Alleged Drunk Driver Stops at Deputy’s Home for Directions

A South Dakota woman, who allegedly was driving while intoxicated, picked a house belonging to a Meade County sheriff’s deputy to stop at for directions. The deputy, believing the woman was intoxicated, would not let her drive. Read the complete story from the Rapid City Journal.

MADD is committed to working closely with law enforcement to eliminate drunk driving once and for all.

University of Florida Revises Alcohol Policy; Prohibits Kegs, Drinking Games

"Just more than a week after the Princeton Review cited the University of Florida as the best place to party, the university revised its alcohol policy, specifically prohibiting some popular college-drinking activities." Read the complete article from the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.

Irresponsible drinking on college campuses has reached epidemic proportions. To make a real difference, students, faculty, parents, law enforcement and community members must all work together. MADD has resources for each as part of its College Initiatives.

Massachusetts Man Arrested for Drunk Driving for 15th Time

A South Yarmouth man arrested for drunk driving had 14 prior OUI arrests and 9 prior convictions. Read the complete story from WBZ TV.

Contact your lawmakers about mandating ignition interlock devices for all convicted drunk drivers.

Driver in Fatal Wisconsin Crash Had Six Prior DUI Arrests

Police said alcohol was a factor for both drivers involved in a crash that left one person dead in Wisconsin and that one driver had six prior DUI arrests. Read the complete story from WISN.

Studies have shown that ignition interlocks are an average of 65 percent effective in keeping convicted drunk drivers from recommitting the crime, as long as the ignition interlock is installed on the vehicle. Contact your lawmakers and urge them to support ignition interlocks for all convicted drunk drivers.