MADD Southern California Asks People to Make a Pledge for Safety St. Patrick’s Day

15 Mar MADD Southern California Asks People to Make a Pledge for Safety St. Patrick’s Day

— St. Patrick’s Day is one of the most dangerous times of the year for drunk driving fatalities —

Los Angeles, CA–Mothers Against Drunk Driving(MADD)Southern California Regionis calling on Southern California residents to make a pledge for safety this St. Patrick’s Day.  The St. Patrick’s Day holiday is closely tied with drinking so, it continually makes the list of the most dangerous holidays in the country.MADD has partnered with Uber to raise awareness and help reduce alcohol-impaired driving fatalities. In 2015, 20 people (21 percent of all traffic fatalities) were killed in drunk driving crashes during the St. Patrick’s Day holiday period (March 17 – March 18 at 5:59 a.m.) (NHTSA)  It was estimated over 51% of Americans celebrated St. Patrick’s Day in 2016, one of the most popular drinking days in our country.  “The key is to make plans for how you will get home safely, before you leave the house,”said Patricia Rillera, Executive Director of MADD Southern California Region. “Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, but plan ahead for a safe ride home – designate a non-drinking driver, call an Uber, take a taxi or public transportation.

Drunk driving is 100 percent preventable, yet in California, nearly 1,000 people were killed in 2015 as a result of drunk driving crashes. Nationwide each year, nearly 10,000 people are killed and another 315,000 are injured in drunk driving crashes. Southern California law enforcement will be on patrol throughout the region this St. Patrick’s Day. So make sure you don’t drink and drive, and don’t let your friends do it, either.

MADD’s Campaign to Eliminate Drunk Driving^® is working to prevent drunk driving by supporting high-visibility law enforcement efforts like sobriety checkpoints, requiring ignition interlock devices for all convicted drunk drivers, and supporting the development of technology to stop a drunk driver (.08 BAC and above) from operating a vehicle.

For tips on how to throw a safe party on St. Patrick’s Day or any time of the year, visit www.madd.org/safeparty.

About Mothers Against Drunk Driving

Founded by a mother whose daughter was killed by a drunk driver, Mothers Against Drunk Driving^® (MADD) is the nation’s largest nonprofit working to protect families from drunk driving and underage drinking. With the help of those who want a safer future, MADD’s Campaign to Eliminate Drunk Driving^® will end this danger on America’s roads. PowerTalk 21^® is the national day for parents to talk with their kids about alcohol, using the proven strategies of Power of Parents^® to reduce the risk of underage drinking. And as one of the largest victim services organizations in the U.S., MADD also supports drunk and drugged driving victims and survivors at no charge, serving one person every eight minutes through local MADD victim advocates and at 1-877-MADD-HELP.  Learn more at www.madd.org or by calling 1-877-ASK-MADD.