MADD's efforts help reduce drunken driving

When I noticed that the next president of MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving) will be a dad, Glen Birch of Florida who lost his 21-month-old son to a drunken driver, it got me thinking about the mission of MADD and their impact on our overall health and safety.

Beginning as a loosely-formed group of woman who had lost someone to a drunken-driving crash (they never say accident, because that's not what happens when someone chooses to drive while impaired), MADD has been the most successful grassroots lobbying movement in American history except the one for civil rights.

Because of this effort, each of the 50 states now has a uniform drinking age of 21. Prior to 1987, Idahoans could drink at 18.

Also as a direct result of MADD's assault on federal and state legislatures, every state now has a level of .08 blood alcohol to be legally drunk, requires child safety seats and that seat belts be used. Penalties for driving under the influence are now frightening, inconvenient, costly and justifiably shameful.

The numbers since MADD first made us seriously aware of the disastrous mix of alcohol and driving are stunning. From 1982 to 2003, the total number of traffic deaths has remained almost exactly the same despite dramatic growth in our population.

However, in 1982, 26,000 people died in drunk driving crashes. In 2003, there were 17,013. Crashes involving alcohol have dropped from 60 percent to 40 percent.

It is estimated that 300,000 lives have been saved by the changes in law and attitudes.

MADD taught us the absurdity of "one for the road" and the tougher laws have made most law abiding folks realize that an extra beer just isn't worth the penalties and costs driving under the influence will bring.

In Idaho our alcohol-related deaths in 2003, the latest year for complete statistics, were 107 out of the total 293. We owe MADD a great deal, but ultimately, the work to make drunken driving completely unacceptable belongs to each of us.

Despite the best efforts of MADD, law enforcement, the medical community, education, state legislators and congress and countless others, we are still seeing tragedy and death resulting from drivers choosing to drink.

What triggered this column was the recent crash near Bonners Ferry that wiped out a family leaving only a two-month-old child to survive alone. A 26-year-old, who now awaits arraignment on vehicular manslaughter and aggravated drunken driving charges after allegedly crossing into oncoming traffic.

We are enjoying the very best part of our summer in North Idaho. Our traffic, activities and revelry are full tilt. Responsibility demands that before the party is the best time to make our decisions about driving after we've been partying.

Incidentally, boaters, the same .08 laws apply to boating under the influence as to other motor vehicles and the penalties are just as tough. For those under 21 operating a boat, the alcohol level is .02. It doesn't take much to reach either of those levels.

MADD points out that alcohol abuse affects more young people than all other illegal drugs combined and sadly, a great number of the drunk driving crashes involve very young drivers.

This year the Idaho Transportation Department will again distribute our part of the $29 million in Congressional funds for increased local law enforcement overtime during the Labor Day weekend, so chances of getting a DUI will be better than usual.

The point of all this is that as a society, we can legislate against and punish drunken drivers, but we cannot legislate personal responsibility.

Each of us knows that perhaps we once made it home after drinking and mercifully didn't get caught.

Or we that we saw or rode with someone who shouldn't have been driving yet we remained silent not wanting to offend him or her.

MADD's goal is to close their doors after the last drunken driving crash. Our responsibility as individuals should be to do our part helping them reach that goal.