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Mothers
Against Drunk Driving |
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February 2002 - Newsletter Contents
Unveiling Another Face of Driving Under the InfluenceOn Monday, January 28, guests began arriving at the top floor of the parking structure at the comer of Broadway and Third Street in the Artists Village area of Santa Ana. Across the street, a large billboard could be seen draped with a white cloth by our friends at Clearchannel Outdoor (once Eller Media). Representatives from UCI, the California Office of Traffic Safety, Orange County law enforcement agencies and prosecutors, Latino Health Access, Community Service Programs, NBC, KOCE, MADD volunteers (including board members) and others mingled in anticipation of this exciting event. "What groundbreaking new concept would be released?" seemed to be the question on everyone’s mind. A hint was given at MADD’s tabletop display, offering posters, mouse pads, writing pads and other gifts for those in attendance. Promptly at 12:15 p.m., UCI Calsafe Communities, opened the event by describing in detail the development of this media campaign, from the original artwork designed and donated by The T&O Group and the funding to print the artwork by UCI Calsafe Communities, to the billboard and bus shelter ad spaces donated by Clearchannel Outdoor. Reidel Post, Executive Director of MADD Orange County, then explained
that the artwork being unveiled was unique and stood apart from all of
the other pieces that would soon be seen across the county. Unlike
the others, it had not been developed by an advertising agency, but was
created by MADD staff as a result of the experience of a recent DUI
victim who was severely injured by a woman who had been driving under
the influence of prescription drugs. He was introduced and thanked
for the inspiration that he had brought to the artwork "DUI - Any
Way You Do It, It’s A Crime." Reidel continued by
presenting plaques to UCI CalSafe Communities and the California Office
of Traffic Safety, before receiving a Certificate of Recognition from
Santa Ana Mayor Pro-tem Pat McGuigen. Volunteers and guests
networked over a fabulous Italian lunch, and frozen fruit bars
generously donated by Brothers International Desserts. Keep your
eyes open for our ads on billboards and transit shelters throughout the
county for the next twelve months. We hope this campaign helps to
Drive the Numbers Down in Orange County! It was time for the Billboard unveiling: it was as though everyone was holding their breath. Then, in unison, some one hundred guests were heard chanting. ‘Five! Four! Three! Two! One!’ Across the street, the cloth dropped away from the artwork and the crowd exploded in applause! Statistics! Statistics! Statistics!Source: Derived from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration & the CHP Information Services Unit There were 16,653 alcohol-related fatalities in the United States in 2000... 40% of the total traffic fatalities for the year. THAT IS ONE ALCOHOL-RELATED DEATH EVERY 32 MINUTES & ONE PERSON INJURED EVERY 2 MINUTES. 69% of the drivers killed in alcohol-related crashes were intoxicated. Intoxication rates for drivers in fatal crashes were highest for motorcycle operators. There were 3,331 alcohol-related fatalities in California in 2000... That is 9 alcohol-related deaths every day. Drunk Driving Loophole Closed by New LawState Assembly Passes AB-1078 to Strengthen Prosecution of Drunk Driving. "Joshua’s Bill" was prompted by a case that began with a drunk driving crash in Ventura County on March 31, 1989. After being arrested the previous day for drunk driving, Diane Mannes was released. She borrowed a car and continued drinking. With a blood alcohol content (BAC) later measured at .20%, she veered off the road striking five teenage boys, killing three of them and critically injuring the other two. A small plastic sign with the inscription "I swerve and hit people at random" was in the car Mannes was driving. Mannes served four years in state prison before being released in September of 1996. She was discharged from parole in June of 1999. On August 11, 2000 Mannes was again arrested for drunk driving, this time with a BAC of .2 8%. The 1989 offense, having occurred 10 years before the current case, could not be legally considered when Mannes was prosecuted; therefore, she was sentenced as if she was a first time offender. Linda Oxenrider joined MADD after her son Joshua was killed by Mannes in the 1989 crash and now serves as the Chairperson for MADD, California. She was shocked to find that the woman convicted of killing her son, Joshua, and his friends, Scott Mullins and Jacob Boyd, would be treated by the law for her August 2000 DUI offence as if she were a first time DUI offender rather than a felony drunk driver. Frustrated with the notion that their deaths no longer mattered, Linda and Ventura County District Attorney Michael Bradbury urged Assemblyperson Hannah-Beth Jackson (Santa Barbara) to introduce a bill that would eliminate what is referred to as the 10-year "washout" period. Linda testified in support of the bill before the State Assembly Public Safety Committee stating, "Once you’ve killed another human being, it should never be off your record." Ventura County’s Chief Assistant District Attorney Greg Totten stressed that, "This bill ensures that a drunk driver who has killed an innocent person will never again be treated as a first time offender." "Joshua’s Bill" went to the State Senate, and was signed into law in December of 2001 by Governor Gray Davis. Prior vehicular manslaughter convictions will now be used in court to elevate any new drunk driving offense to a felony. This legal loophole is now closed. Are You A Victim of a Drunk Driver?Nothing in life is more painful than the violent and senseless death of a loved one, or the loss of quality of life due to the irresponsibility of another. Grief and morning are unique for each person, and while each person grieves their loss differently. Most people can find solace in sharing with others. Your Experiences Can Make A DifferenceWould you be willing to share your experience and help others to understand your pain and the consequences that come from choices such as driving under the influence? We get more speaking requests than we have speakers! Such a contribution saves lives and prevents injuries. Many volunteers currently give of their valuable time one or two evenings a month to speak of their experiences at a Victim Impact Panel. The Victim Impact Panel is a court-ordered program for DUI offenders that gives them the opportunity to hear the voice of the victim and to learn about the consequences of their dangerous behavior. Even a 5-minute presentation can have an impact on someone’s life. To get started, sit down and write out your experience on a piece of paper the way you would if you were telling someone in person. Then mail, e-mail or fax your story along with your name, phone number and address to us. We will meet with you and help prepare you to share your experience with others. Please consider joining our Speakers Bureau! College Group ProjectsCSUF Public Relations Group Project. Stephanie, Joseph, Candace & Sean What a team! This group distributed lollipops with the message to drive safely to hundreds of CSUF students on Halloween, presented Deuce Awards to officers at the CSUF Police Department, organized a Public Awareness Booth for MADD at Fullerton College, and assisted with our Annual Recognition Luncheon by sending out press releases and creating press kits for the event. Many thanks, guys! College InternsIrene, UCI - Public Awareness Intern Irene interned with us from October to December of 2001, working on a number of projects during that time. Like so many of us, she was completely enthralled with our Checkpointers Program. Within an amazingly short period of time, she was a volunteer captain for these events; charming volunteers, officers and the public with her winning smile! I t was a huge help to our staff to have her out there during the busy Checkpoint month of December, and a huge benefit to Orange County! Candace, CSUF - Public Awareness Intern Candace was a part of the above-mentioned CSUF Public Relations Group Project, and then decided to stay on for another semester as an intern. Candace is currently helping with our upcoming Youth Programs, including our Elementary Coloring Contest and our High School T-shirt Design Contest. She is also working on an outline of her personal experience about the loss of her cousin in a drunk driving crash so that she can begin speaking to high school students. High School ResourcesA picture is worth a thousand words . . . We are pleased to offer our crashed Car Trailer to local campuses. This trailer acts as a 3-dimensional billboard to show the very real consequences of an alcohol-related crash. Our 5th Annual T-shirt Design
Contest theme is " One Victory at a Time . . . Make the
Right Choices!" Literature"Under 21" brochure: Myths, Issues and Facts about Underage Drinking for young people and their parents. "On rethinking drinking" activities book: Facts, Skills, Strategies, Support and Tests for young people to use to improve their decision-making regarding alcohol. Fake IDBring this assembly and exciting multi-media assembly presentation to your students. Hold an assembly - schedule a speaker! Borrow our Fatal Vision Boggles and see what it is like to be impaired by alcohol. Students receive the message that it is not safe to get into a car with someone who has been drinking. |
A Prevention Program Sponsored by Mitsubishi. 
