Mothers Against Drunk Driving

States, with 2,500 in California alone (Phillips). On May 3rd of 1980, that number had risen as the life of Cari Lightner was taken by a repeat drunk driving offender, whose actions caused him to lose control. However, what he didn’t know, was his unforgivable actions were the cause of a life-saving phenomenon. Candy Lightner, Cari’s mother, was infuriated by the tiny amount of consequence the man had received after taking her beloved Cari’s life, and decided that the underestimated laws against drunk driving were not enough to guarantee that the punished killers wouldn't strike again. So, with the help of friends and family, she took charge. On September fifth of 1980, Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) took the world by storm when it was…

tumultuous history, at best, concerning the United States. From the clear stance against the consumption of alcohol embodied in the temperance movements and the eventual prohibition of alcohol through the eighteenth amendment to the U.S. Constitution to the equally clear acceptance of alcohol signified by the repeal of Prohibition through the twenty-first amendment and the proliferation of bars and liquor shops throughout the country, it is apparent that in the U.S. there has been a divide…

home and spend time with her family. Just a few minutes from home, everything turned horrific in a matter of seconds. A drunk driver crossed the centerline and hit her head-on. Rushed to the hospital, she was in critical condition. Family, friends, teammates, and coaches all sitting in the cold waiting room, patiently, waiting to hear the seriousness of her injuries. The doctors eventually got her stable; then it was the…

can cause dangerous conditions such as hypothermia. So, it would be very medically irrespirable to put the society’s young adults in danger (“Start”). Another negative outcome is that the average of people driving while intoxicated will most likely rise. In 2013, “nearly one third (31%) of all traffic related deaths in the United States” (“Impaired Driving”). If younger adults, eighteen to twenty, were able to consume alcohol legally, they would be more likely to drive while under the…

For many years, one of the biggest issues nationwide has been the abuse of alcohol by all age groups; however, this is primarily true for the 18-21 year old age bracket. In 1987, Ronald Reagan and his administration pressured states by threatening local funding cuts. His ultimate goal was for a nationwide minimum legal drinking age of 21 (Tooney, et al, 2009). Supporters of this, such as Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), believed that this law would end drunk driving related deaths. As a…

Teenagers have earned all of their adult responsibilities by the age of 18, except drinking. According to Edgar Snyder, a lawyer graduated from Pennsylvania University and University of Pittsburgh School of Law, there are 11 million underaged drinkers in the United States. Snyder also states that one-third of all the deaths of people from the age of 16-20 is driving deaths. Teenagers are already drinking by the time they reach the age of 18. Legalizing it would mean that teenagers would be more…

United States, it is against the law to operate a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol and drugs. Driving Under the Influence (DUI) or Operating Under the Influence (OUI) are often measured by a driver’s Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC). Driving with a BAC level above 0.08 is against the law and may result in criminal penalties such as jail time, probation, community service or mandated rehab (DUI Offense Basics). According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)…

the matters on drunk driving and how they can affect people’s lives. In the summary I found in Collins library as stated in the citation above, he reports factual evidence and statistics to show both sides of people who argue with drunk driving and those who said the problem was, “Exaggerated and overregulated.” The debate continues with both sides stating why and why not they agree and disagree with the matter of people driving drunk. Should they continue regulating drivers with sobriety test…

Overview Drunk Driving has been a problem in America almost since cars have been invented. One of the first cars ever built in America was in Massachusetts in 1893, but by 1897 a 27 year old taxi driver by the name of George Smith was arrested for the first ever DUI after crashing his cab into a building (history). In recent years, unfortunately, driving under the influence has a remained a huge problem in the United States, one third of all fatal car crashes involve an intoxicated driver or…

Impaired driving is one of the most leading causes of death, as stated by MADD Canada: “Impaired driving remains the leading criminal cause of death in Canada, and accounts for 43% of all deaths occurring as a result of road crashes.” (MADD Canada 2014). Accidents resulting from impaired driving can lead to lives being lost and/or to permanent injury, whether it be physical or mental. There are also several severe legal consequences to drinking and driving. Impaired driving also has lasting…