MADD “Tie One On For Safety” Campaign Reminds Us to Drive Sober During The Holiday Season

This year marks the 30^thanniversary of the MADD “Tie One On for Safety” campaign. This is the leading public awareness campaign that brings light to the importance of designating a sober driver during the holiday season.

Thousands of innocent lives are tragically taken every year due to drunk drivers. Sadly, the holiday season is no exception. The rate of impaired drivers increases greatly between Thanksgiving and New Year’s. The U.S National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism reported that 40% of all traffic-related deaths during Christmas and New Year’s involved drunk drivers.

If you are placed in a situation this holiday season where a friend, family member, or even a stranger is trying to get behind the wheel after a few too many drinks, MADD provides these following tips to help overcome this:

-Suggest an alternative. Recommend the person call a cab, ride with a sober driver, or take public transportation.
-Have a buddy by your side. It’s more difficult to say “no” to two or three people versus one person.
-Take the power away. The best way to prevent an impaired person from driving is taking their keys – this gives you leverage and makes it easier to persuade them against driving while under the influence.
-Be conscious of how you sound. Remember this person is intoxicated – talk slowly and in a non-confrontational tone. Explain your reasoning in full detail.

Drunk driving is a serious public safety issue, but if we work together, we can help to prevent these preventable accidents from occurring this holiday season.

To show your support, please order a MADD red ribbon through your local MADD affiliate to display on your car. This ribbon will serve as a reminder to other motorists to elect a sober driver and to always practice safe and sober driving all year round.

If you or a loved one has been seriously injured in an accident involving a drunk driver, call Graves McLain immediately at 918-359-6600 to speak with an experienced Oklahoma Car Accident attorney absolutely FREE.

When you call Graves McLain, we will investigate every detail of your accident and fight hard to ensure that your rights are protected. You will never pay an attorney’s fee up front, and you owe us nothing until we recover for you.