How MADD influenced drunk driving policy and prevention

¶ … Mothers Against Drunk Driving Affected Social Policy

Why was MADD created?

The Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) organization was created in response to the alarmingly high levels of injuries and fatalities that were resulting from incidences of drunk driving. The stated mission of MADD is "to stop drunk driving, support the victims of this violent crime and prevent underage drinking" (MADD mission, 2014, para. 2). The stated purpose of MADD contained in its articles of incorporation (September 5, 1980) is " "To aid the victims of crimes performed by individuals driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, to aid the families of such victims and to increase public awareness of the problem of drinking and drugged driving" (MADD mission statement, 2014).

The problem that lead to the creation of MADD

The MADD organization was created by the mother of a young woman who had been killed in a collision with a drunk driver (About us, 2014). In this regard, Cavendish (2006) reports that, "Mothers Against Drunk Driving was formed in reaction to drunk-driving fatalities and lenient sentencing of drunk-driving offenders" (p. 569).

Policies created as a result of MADD influence

To date, the MADD organization has succeeded in educating the American public concerning the dangers of drunk driving to the extent that the problem has been drastically reduced, but certainly not entirely eliminated (Cavendish, 2006). In this regard, Cavendish reports that, "MADD has popularized a number of consciousness-raising movements that have become integrated into the fabric of society. The One On For Safety public awareness campaign is MADD's longest-running national program" (p. 569). As part of this campaign, participants attach red ribbons to their vehicles to remind others of the dangers of drinking and driving (Cavendish, 2006). In addition, in the early 1980s, MADD also promoted the notion of having a designated driver responsible for transporting partiers back home (Cavendish, 2006). Finally, MADD's most significant legislative achievement was increasing the legal drinking age to 21 years old in 1984 (Cavendish, 2006).

The effects of these social policies on human service delivery

The focus of MADD has consistently remained on providing assistance for victims of collisions with drunk drivers through more aggressive prosecution and a nationwide network of victim advocates (Cavendish, 2006).

Conclusion

The research showed that Mothers Against Drunk Driving was established in 1982 in response to the alarming numbers of drunk driving fatalities and injuries that were occurring in the United States each year. Although drunk driving remains a serious problem, the impact of the efforts by MADD have reduced these rates by more than one-half since it was created and it is reasonable to conclude that millions of Americans in the future will owe their lives to this organization.