Mothers Against Drunk Driving

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Mothers against Drunk Driving (MADD), in German about " Mothers against Drunk Driving ", is a parents' organization in the USA that is directed against driving a car when drunk . The organization has written a kind of new edition of Prohibition on its flags in recent years .

Origin and agenda

The group was founded in 1980 by Candy Lightner of California under the name Mothers Against Drunk Drivers , after their 13-year-old daughter Cari was killed in a traffic accident caused by a drunk driver. At that time, drunken accident-causing people in the United States were mostly sent to open prisons rather than closed prisons . In this case, the driver was sent to a so-called "half-way-house" for two years. He had to stay there overnight, but he could still drive to his old place of work every day. In response, Lightner founded the MADD.

The main goals are:

  • the tightening of legal sanctions against drunk drivers, including imprisonment .
  • the lowering of the permitted alcohol limit.
  • more help for traffic victims.
  • Tax increases on alcoholic beverages.
  • Restriction of sales opportunities for alcoholic beverages.

supporter

The association is supported by many well-known personalities, for example Miss America 2006 , Jennifer Berry . Berry impressed the jury with her decisive debate against drunk driving. Further, for example, Dorian Gregory , an American actor , working for the organization.

criticism

The MADD is exposed to extensive criticism in the American public: Many critics see the danger of paternalism towards consumers in their choice of goods and citizens in general in their lifestyle. The lack of practicability of the controls required by the organization is also criticized.

Furthermore, accusations of enrichment against the MADD were repeatedly loud.

One of the strongest critics of MADD is its founder Candy Lightner herself. Since she fell out with the organization in 1985 , she has called the MADD's focus on the complete suppression of alcohol a mistake. In her own words, she founded the organization to keep drinkers off the wheel, not to "campaign" against alcohol in general. In the mid-1990s she even worked for a lobbying organization for the American brewery industry to prevent the alcohol limit from being lowered.

Individual evidence

  • MADD Money. Investigative report., K5 News, Seattle, Washington.


Web links

advocacy

criticism