MADD National President Alex Otte
MADD News:
ALBUQUERQUE — Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) volunteers and staff will team up with law enforcement patrols across the country Saturday, Aug. 27 for the fourth nationwide “Saturation Saturday”.
The virtual and in-person events highlight impaired driving prevention efforts by law enforcement during the annual National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign, which launched Aug. 17 and continues through Labor Day.
NHTSA’s “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign, long supported by MADD, helps fund increased impaired driving enforcement, sobriety checkpoints and anti-drunk driving advertising during one of the busiest travel periods of the year. According to recent NHTSA estimates for 2021, more than 12,000 people were killed in drunk driving crashes – the worst year since 2007.
“Hazardous driving behaviors have increased over the past two years amounting to more alcohol-related deaths and injuries on our roads,” MADD National President Alex Otte said. “As we head into one of the busiest weeks on the road and the long Labor Day weekend, MADD joins our law enforcement partners in urging everyone to plan ahead before the first drink. Designate an unimpaired driver, utilize rideshare or call a taxi. There is never an excuse to drive drunk.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, sobriety checkpoints reduce drunk driving deaths by 20 percent. Saturation Saturday events will include checkpoints, increased DUI patrols (called Saturation Patrols) and other enforcement efforts aimed at preventing impaired driving and stopping those who make the wrong choice. MADD staff and volunteers in New Mexico will participate in law enforcement roll calls, checkpoints and other support activities to reinforce the lifesaving importance of these traffic safety enforcement initiatives.
“We know that at the end of summertime, people go to parties and celebrate with their loved ones. Therefore, it is critical for them to have a plan, and that plan should be to designate a non-drinking driver to get them home safely,” said Bert Parnall, MADD New Mexico advisory board member. “The message of high visibility law enforcement traffic initiatives like Saturation Saturday is to not only stop drunk drivers, but also to publicize to would-be drunk drivers that if they choose to drive, they will be caught.”
Support for equitable and just high-visibility traffic safety enforcement is one of the key elements of MADD’s Campaign to Eliminate Drunk Driving, launched in 2006. MADD advocates for funding for NHTSA’s Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over events, which occur every year in August and December, and Click It or Ticket in May. The other elements of MADD’s Campaign to Eliminate Drunk Driving include passing laws to require ignition interlocks for all drunk driving offenders, support for advanced impaired driving prevention technology in all new vehicles and taking personal responsibility by using rideshare, public transportation, taxi or designating a non-drinking friend or family member every time plans include alcohol.
Participating Law Enforcement agencies for New Mexico Saturation Saturday 2022 include: Albuquerque Police Department, New Mexico State Police, Lea County Sherriff’s Office, Pueblo of Pojoaque Police Department, Deming Police Department, Taos County Sheriff’s Office, Roswell Police Department, Bosque Farms Police Department, Santa Rosa Police Department, Hagerman Police Department, Rio Rancho Police Department, Cibola County Sheriff’s Office, Milan Police Department and Ramah Navajo Police Department.
Agencies listed will be hosting either a Sobriety Checkpoint, or a Saturation Patrol, Saturday, Aug. 27.
To follow events throughout the day, follow MADD on Twitter at @maddonline or on Facebook at @MADD.Official.
About Mothers Against Drunk Driving
Founded in 1980 by a mother whose daughter was killed by a drunk driver, Mothers Against Drunk Driving® (MADD) is the nation’s largest nonprofit working to end drunk driving, help fight drugged driving, support the victims of these violent crimes and prevent underage drinking. MADD has helped to save more than 400,000 lives, reduce drunk driving deaths by more than 50 percent and promote designating a non-drinking driver. MADD’s Campaign to Eliminate Drunk Driving® calls for law enforcement support, ignition interlocks for all offenders and advanced vehicle technology. MADD has provided supportive services to nearly one million drunk and drugged driving victims and survivors at no charge through local victim advocates and the 24-Hour Victim Help Line 1.877.MADD.HELP. Visit www.madd.org or call 1.877.ASK.MADD.