Volunteer Jeremy Markle spoke aboard the USS Vicksburg as part of their Easter Safety
Stand-Down.
MADD Mid-Atlantic Advisory Board member Colonel Craig Jones was honored by the Rotary Club of Western Henrico as Police First Responder of the Year. Present to honor Colonel Jones was MADD Mid-Atlantic’s long-time volunteer and Advisory Board member Carter Hill.
MADD volunteer Greg Estep spoke as part of an Alcohol Awareness event on campus at the University of Virginia's College at Wise. Greg's son Thomas had attended UVA Wise before he was killed in a drunk driving crash on Jan 1, 2017.
The Power Of You(th)
Teen drivers are at a higher risk of fatalities due to impaired driving.
The Center for Disease Control (CDC) reports that drinking any amount of alcohol before driving increases the risk of a crash amongst teen drivers and that teen drivers have a higher risk of crashing at the same Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) as an adult, even if it’s below the legal limit.
With MADD’s Power of You(th) program, we can empower teens to keep themselves and others safe by never drinking and driving.
Help the teens in your life make the right choices. Some tips you can offer them to say no to alcohol and drug use are:
Tell a friend your plan not to drink or smoke – it can be easier to stick to a plan if you have backup
Say, “No thanks, I’m driving”
Tell co-partiers that the taste/smell bothers you
Just leave – being at a party where you are chastised for being alcohol/drug-free or where law enforcement may show up is not worth it
The data shows that between 2019 and 2020 there was a 14% increase in alcohol-impaired driving fatalities. MADD does not stand for this.
Alcohol-impaired driving fatalities are 100% preventable. Anyone can play a role in stopping impaired driving in its tracks. Some ways in which you can help are:
Planning your night in advance to include a designated driver
Downloading and using a rideshare app
Choosing a place within walking distance
Taking your friend’s or family member’s keys away if they are clearly intoxicated
Legendary Law Enforcement: Officer Bertram
We are excited to highlight Officer Cheryl Bertram of the Virginia Beach Police Department. Officer Bertram is a two-time winner of MADD’s Law Enforcement Recognition Award, an honor bestowed upon officers with high DUI arrest counts.
Learn more about Officer Bertram in this short video:
MADD Mid-Atlantic is happy to partner with the Virginia DMV to make this newsletter!
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