About Virginia. Fall Programs. In This Issue...

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1 Programs About Virginia Fall 2010 Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) works to discourage impaired driving through a three-pronged strategy: high-visibility law enforcement with supporting communication campaigns; enhanced prosecution and adjudication; and medical screening and brief intervention for alcohol abuse problems. Special emphasis is placed on reaching high-risk populations; including those under age 21, those ages 21 to 34, repeat offenders, and high-bac (blood alcohol concentration) offenders. For additional information and to view free resources such as those below, visit Resources for Enforcement Strategies Laws Prohibiting Alcohol Sales to Intoxicated Persons - Designed for policymakers, administrators, researchers, law enforcement professionals, health and safety advocacy groups, and others who are working to reduce injuries and fatalities stemming from alcohol impaired driving. Digest of Impaired Driving and Selected Beverage Control Laws - Easily accessible reference to all States current laws on alcohol and other issues of impaired driving. Refusal of Intoxication Testing: A Report to Congress - In contrast to being stopped by an officer for other driving violations, the result of an impaired driving stop may dramatically impact a person s life. Resources for Youth and Young Adult Impaired Driving Strategies A Social Norms Strategy to Reduce Impaired Driving Among Year- Olds Results of a demonstration project to test the efficacy of a high-intensity social norms media intervention to reduce the prevalence of driving after drinking among 21 to 34-year-olds living in western Montana. Community How to Guide on Underage Drinking Prevention - Address fundamental components of planning and implementing a comprehensive underage drinking prevention program. Speak Out & Make NOYS Project Manual -The National Organizations for Youth Safety (NOYS) is a coalition that promotes collaboration at the national, state and local levels. Its mission is to marshal resources and build synergistic partnerships that save lives, prevent injuries, and promote safe and healthy lifestyles among youth. Youth Impaired Driving Manual for Sheriffs Make Your Parties Rock- Guide to Safe and Sober Event Planning An Implementation Guide for Juvenile Holdover Programs Strategies for Success: Combating Juvenile DUI In This Issue... Sentencing and Dispositions for Youth DUI and Other Alcohol Offenses Safe Lanes on Campus: A Guide for Preventing Impaired Driving & Underage Drinking Citizen Reporting of DUI- Extra Eyes to Identify Impaired Driving Seatbelts- Your Best Defense in A Drunk Driving Crash... Page 2 Underage Drinking News... Page 3 Powers of Parents - Its s Your Influence... Page 4 NFL - MADD Partnership... Page 5 Campaign to Eliminate Drunk Driving... Page 6 Chapter Directory... Page 7

2 Seatbelts...Your Best Defense in a Drunk Driving Crash Seatbelts save over 13,000 lives a year. MADD advocates increased use of occupant protection for all motor vehicle drivers and passengers and recognizes the need for publicized, enforced safety belt and child seat laws as a major defense against alcohol and drugimpaired drivers. Source: Occupant+Protection Safety belt use laws in 31 states and the District of Columbia are primary, meaning police may stop vehicles solely for belt law violations. In the remaining 19 states, including Virginia, belt laws are secondary, meaning Officers must have some other reason to stop a vehicle before citing an occupant for failing to buckle up. Source: laws/restraintoverview.aspx Seatbelt laws in Virginia pertain to adults 18 years and over in the front seats of a car. In the United States during 2008: 968 children, ages 14 years and younger died as occupants in motor vehicle crashes, and approximately 168,000 were injured. Fifteen percent of occupant deaths among children ages 0 to 14 years involved a drinking driver. More than two-thirds of fatally injured children were killed while riding with a drinking driver Child restraint laws in Virginia allow primary enforcement - no other violation need be committed prior to ticketing for failure to have a child in an approved seat. The major requirements of Virginia s Child Safety Seat Laws include: Child restraint devices are required for children through the age of seven (until 8th birthday). Safety seats must be properly used and approved by Department of Transportation standards. Rear-facing child restraint devices must be placed in the back seat of a vehicle. In the event the vehicle does not have a back seat, the child restraint device may be placed in the front passenger seat only if the vehicle is either not equipped with a passenger side airbag or if it has been deactivated. Children can no longer ride unrestrained in the rear cargo area of vehicles. The law applies to anyone (i.e. parents, grandparents, sitters, friends) who provides transportation for a child in any vehicle manufactured after January 1, Public transportation (taxis, buses), regulation school buses, and farm vehicles are exempted. Source: The top 5 things you should know about buckling up: Buckling up is the single most effective thing you can do to protect yourself in a crash. Being buckled up helps keep you safe inside your vehicle - being thrown out of a vehicle is almost always deadly. Air bags are designed to work with seatbelts, not replace them Not using a seatbelt could cause you to be thrown into a rapidly opening frontal air bag; a movement of such force could injure or even kill you. How to buckle up safely - The lap belt and shoulder belt should be secured across the pelvis and rib cage, which are more able to withstand crash forces than other parts of your body. Occupant protection is for everyone Visit gov for safety belt information for children and pregnant drivers/passengers. Graphic video showing importance of seatbelts: =e6qhmdk4vns. State Farm Insurance Partnership with MADD VA on Tie One On for Safety State Farm Insurance is partnering with MADD VA again this year to promote Tie One On For Safety. Originally named the 'Project Red Ribbon' campaign, Tie One On for Safety was created in 1986 to help heighten public awareness about drinking and driving during the holiday season. In Virginia, in November and December 2009, there were 1630 alcohol related crashes resulting in 1013 injuries and 35 deaths. The program is designed to encourage the public to take action against drunk driving by tying a MADD ribbon to their vehicle s antenna or side mirror as a pledge to drive safe, sober and buckled up during the holidays and throughout the year. Our message includes safety belts because they re the best defense against a drunk driver. Activities to support the campaign are organized by most of MADD s offices across the country. Together, we distribute more than 6 million ribbons and ribbon symbols each year. Call the MADD VA office if you would like to participate! Pa g e 2

3 Underage Drinking News Town Hall Meetings Community coalitions across Virginia, in collaboration with the Federal Governments Interagency Coordinating Committee on the Prevention of Underage Drinking, sponsored Town Hall Meetings on Underage Drinking to coincide with alcohol awareness month in April and May Town Hall Meetings are part of a national effort to increase understanding and awareness of underage drinking and its consequences, and to encourage individuals, families, and communities to address the problem. They are designed to alert and empower the community as well as generate interest from the media. Town Hall Meetings give local communities the opportunity to come together to learn more about new research on underage drinking and its impact on both individuals and the community, and to discuss how their community can implement the recommendations outlined in The Surgeon General s Call to Action to Prevent and Reduce Underage Drinking. are youth-led are hosted by existing and potential partners such as college campus and community prevention groups are collaborations between military bases and community underage drinking prevention groups. For more information, on past Town Hall Meetings or to find information on 2011 events, visit: meetings/. Sticker Shock Youth from James Madison High School in Fairfax participate in Project Sticker Shock MADD VA participated in Town Hall Meetings in Virginia Beach, Alexandria, Henrico, Front Royal, and Hanover. Town Hall Meetings were also held in: Arlington, Big Stone Gap, Bristol, Chesterfield, Covington, Fairfax, Fredericksburg, Goochland, Harrisonburg, Luray, Manassas, Martinsville, Norfolk, Petersburg, Pulaski, Richmond, Roanoke,Saluda, South Boston, Suffolk, Warrenton, Waynesboro, Williamsburg and Winchester. MADD VA participated because our mission includes the prevention of underage drinking, and in support of recommendations that, since underage drinking is a critical health and safety issue, it is important to involve representatives from the entire community, including parents, youth, education, substance abuse prevention, other health entities, justice/law enforcement, highway safety, alcohol control, local government, and business. Plans are for even greater numbers of these community events in 2011, including those which: target ethnic/racial communities (including Spanishlanguage and bilingual Town Hall events) Project Sticker Shock: taking a stand against underage drinking In Spring 2010, to coincide with prom season, youth across Virginia participated in a statewide Project Sticker Shock initiative, an educational program of the Virginia Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control that is designed to warn adults that it is illegal to purchase and provide alcohol to anyone under 21. Youth, accompanied by adults and police officers, visited local stores to place stop sign warning stickers on beer cases, wine coolers and other packaged alcohol products that might appeal to young drinkers. Participating coalitions and organizations included: The Virginia ABC, Charles City Youth with a Voice Coalition, Chesterfield SAFE, City of Richmond, Friends of Prevention Coalition, Colonial Heights CADRE, Fairfax Prevention, Fauquier CADRE, Hanover Prevention/ I CARE, Harrisonburg/Rockingham Strong Families/Great Youth Coalition, Henrico Too Smart 2 Start, Historic Triangle Substance Abuse Coalition, Roanoke Area Youth Substance Abuse Coalition, Roanoke County Prevention Council, Rockbridge Area Community Services Board, South County Youth Network of Alexandria, Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition of Alexandria, The Warren Coalition and MADD VA. For more information visit: gov/education/stickershock/sticker_shock.html Pa g e 3

4 Power of Parents - It s Your Influence Bahr said. Although peers are very important, it s not true that parents have no influence. For parents, the takeaway is this: Realize you need to have both accountability and support in your relationship with your adolescent, Hoffmann said. Make sure that it s not just about controlling their behavior you need to combine knowing how they spend their time away from home with a warm, loving relationship. Source: com/2010/06/parents-are-important-check-out-new.html Teens and Alcohol Study: Parenting Style can Prevent Binge Drinking Parents may be surprised, even disappointed, to find out they don t influence whether their teen tries alcohol. But now for some good news: Parenting style strongly and directly affects teens when it comes to heavy drinking defined as having five or more drinks in a row according to a new Brigham Young University study. The researchers surveyed nearly 5,000 adolescents between the ages of 12 and 19 about their drinking habits and their relationship with their parents. Specifically, they examined parents levels of accountability knowing where they spend their time and with whom and the warmth they share with their kids. Here s what they found: The teens least prone to heavy drinking had parents who scored high on both accountability and warmth. So-called indulgent parents, those low on accountability and high on warmth, nearly tripled the risk of their teen participating in heavy drinking. Strict parents high on accountability and low on warmth more than doubled their teen s risk of heavy drinking. Prior research on parenting style and teen drinking was a mixed bag, showing modest influence at best. Unlike previous research, this study distinguished between any alcohol consumption and heavy drinking. While parents didn t have much of an effect on whether their teens tried alcohol, they can have a significant impact on the more dangerous type of drinking, said Stephen Bahr, a professor in BYU s College of Family, Home and Social Sciences. Bahr, along with co-author John Hoffmann, will publish the study in the July issue of the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs. Not surprisingly, a teen s peers play an important role on whether a teen drinks. The BYU researchers note that teens in this new study were more likely to have non-drinking friends if their parents scored high on warmth and accountability. The adolescent period is kind of a transitional period and parents sometimes have a hard time navigating that, Pa g e 4 High School Parents-Ask the Expert A place for parents to ask questions, and get answers, from experts in underage drinking prevention. MADD welcomes Traci L. Toomey, Ph.D., a researcher at the University of Minnesota School Of Public Health. Dr. Toomey has years of research experience in community-based solutions to prevent underage drinking. Her interests include policy research; community organizing; prevention of alcohol and tobacco-related problems; and intentional and unintentional injury prevention. Visit to ask Dr. Toomey what can be done in your community to prevent underage drinking. MAKE A DIFFERENCE The risks associated with underage drinking are sobering. Parental influence is the most important factor in keeping your children safe. The Risks Underage alcohol use kills more young people than all illegal drugs combined. More than 40% of individuals who start drinking before the age of 13 will develop alcohol abuse or alcohol dependence at some point in their live. The Solution: Parents: 74% of kids (8-17) said their parents are the leading influence on their decisions about drinking. Doing interventions as a family can reduce underage drinking and drunkenness by 30-60%. When parents and kids are better connected, kids are less likely to drink or use other drugs. Visit: Supported by:

5 The NFL, NFL Players Association and MADD Partner on Comprehensive Initiative against Drunk Driving The NFL and MADD will work together on player and employee programs, game day initiatives, community relations and awareness programs to promote MADD s Campaign to Eliminate Drunk Driving. The announcement was made in Dallas at the NFL s spring meeting by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, NFL Vice President of Labor Policy and Player Development Adolpho Birch, and MADD s incoming CEO Kimberly Earle. Among the programs: MADD will serve in an advisory role to the NFL in its initiatives to promote responsible behavior and prevent drunk driving. MADD representatives will attend and talk to incoming NFL players at NFL Rookie Symposiums. A MADD victim impact speaker, who lost a family member to a drunk driver, will address the rookies and discuss how drunk driving affected her family. It s the kind of personal message that NFL officials wanted their newest players to hear. That s because drunken driving is by far the league s biggest problem with the law. An NFL player has been arrested for drunken driving more than once a month on average since 2000, according to records compiled by the Union-Tribune. Out of at least 506 arrests of active NFL players tracked by the U-T since 2000, 142 (28 percent) are for DUIs. The NFL averages about one drunken-driving arrest per 165 players per year. The NFL and MADD will also explore having players and personnel participate in ride-alongs with law enforcement to witness first-hand the effects of drunk driving. MADD and the NFL will pilot game day programs this season at stadiums in Buffalo and Oakland. MADD will develop ways to support its campaign to prevent drunk driving. Elements will include distribution of MADD brochures at stadiums, enhanced designated driver programs, and point-of-sale messaging at concession stands. The NFL and NFL Players Association also will help promote MADD s Campaign to Eliminate Drunk Driving. NFL clubs and players will participate in WALK LIKE MADD community fund-raising events, and be featured in PSAs and other messages. Clubs will air PSAs on game day in stadiums and include messages in printed game day programs to promote responsible alcohol consumption and the dangers of driving while impaired. The clubs also will promote WALK LIKE MADD and other community events on game day and in their club programming. Source: signonsandiego.com/news/2010 /jun/29/madd-wake-call-nfl-rookies/). Additional sources: Association-And- Mothers-Against-D.aspx In 2009, MADD provided free victim services to over 57,000 victims. MADD has more than 1400 trained victim advocates nationwide who provide bereaved families and injured victims with: emotional support literature on victim issues resources to help cope with the complex legal, medical and financial ramifications of a crash navigation of the criminal and civil justice systems. We understand the grief, anger, confusion and frustration you may be feeling and we want to help. Our services are free and available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. MADD helps survivors survive. Here s how you can start receiving support today: Call: To be put in touch with a MADD Victim Advocate in your area or if you need to speak with someone immediately, call MADD s Victim/Survivor Helpline at MADD-HELP ( ). Send us an at Victims@MADD.org and we will respond as soon as possible. Web: Visit Victim Services at MADD.org for support for bereaved, injured and youth victim/survivors Information on financial recovery, victim rights, the legal process, laws, statistics Information on how you can take action to stop drunk driving Talk Online MADD hosts live Victim Support Forums and chats every Monday night at 7 p.m. CT and every Thursday night at 8:30 p.m. CT. These online gatherings provide opportunities for victims and family members share their insights, feelings and experiences in a safe, understanding environment. Pa g e 5

6 Founded by a mother who lost her daughter in a crash, Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) is the nation s largest nonprofit organization working to protect families from drunk driving and underage drinking. With the help of those who want a safer future, MADD s Campaign to Eliminate Drunk Driving will end this danger on American roads. In 2009, there were 9366 alcohol-related crashes and 316 people killed in Virginia because of drunk driving.* MADD s Campaign to Eliminate Drunk Driving kicked off in November 2006 with the goal of eliminating drunk driving permanently. Here is an update on the Campaign s four essential elements: Turn cars into the cure. Tomorrow s cars will protect each of us, automatically determining if the driver is above the legal limit of.08 and failing to operate if the driver is impaired. Currently in Virginia, Ignition Interlocks are mandatory for DUI convictions of over a.15 BAC and for second and subsequent offense DUI convictions. Our attempts to get this legislation changed in 2010 were not successful, but our efforts will continue in Support the heroes who keep our roads safe. High-visibility law enforcement catches drunk drivers and discourages others from driving drunk and includes crackdowns during holiday weekends, sobriety checkpoints and saturation patrols.visit: for resources and updates on enforcement issues and trends. Consider volunteering with MADD to support law enforcement in their efforts to keep us safe from drunk drivers. Require convicted drunk drivers to blow before they go. Ignition interlock devices, or in-car breathalyzers, require all convicted drunk drivers to prove they are sober before the car will start. In July 2010, legislation was approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee which provides an additional $1.25 million to help boost research for the Driver Alcohol Detection System for Safety, or DADSS. DADSS is the result of a cooperative research agreement between the Automotive Coalition for Traffic Safety (ACTS), comprised of the world s leading auto manufacturers, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). This bill proceeds next to the Senate floor for consideration. Public support led by you and other concerned citizens nationwide. At the state level in Virginia, you can contact your legislator in support of mandatory ignition interlocks for all DUI offenders. You can also contact your National representatives in support of Ignition Interlock and Advanced Technology legislation. Simply visit and click on Take Action to be linked to prepared letters that will be sent to your representative with just a few clicks. And don t forget to electronically sign the Pledge to Eliminate Drunk Driving at Drunk-Driving.aspx - TOGETHER WE CAN DO IT! * 1 in 3 people people will be involved in an alcohol-related crash in their lifetimes. An average drunk driver has driven drunk 87 times before first arrest. MADD serves a victim or survivor of drunk driving every 10 minutes - at no charge Pa g e 6

7 MADD MADD Virginia and District of Columbia Office 5310 Markel Road., Suite 101 Richmond, VA Phone: (804) Toll Free: MADD Fax: (804) Web site: State Office Staff Executive Director Chris R. Konschak Administrative & Technology Asst. M. Abby Amalbert Program Specialist Cristi Cousins Clerical Office Assistants Barbara Dickerson Nancy Foster Affiliate Office Northern Virginia Chapter (Arlington, Fairfax, Fauquier, Prince William counties; Alexandria, Fairfax, Falls Church, Manassas, Manassas Park) P. O. Box 4248 Falls Church, VA Phone: (703) Fax: (703) Senior Victim Advocate Noreen Dinndorf MADD About Virginia is distributed free of charge to MADD members, donors, volunteers, and others interested in MADD s mission. V i r g i n i a Community Action Sites Blue Ridge CAS (Amherst, Campbell Counties; Lynchburg City) Bristol CAS (Bristol City and Washington County) Central Virginia CAS (Albemarle, Augusta, Buckingham, Fluvanna, Greene, Louisa, Madison, Nelson, Orange counties; Charlottesville, Staunton, Waynesboro cities) Loudoun County CAS (Loudoun County) Peninsula CAS (York County and Hampton, Newport News, Poquoson, Williamsburg cities) Richmond Area CAS (Chesterfield, Dinwiddie, Goochland, Hanover, Henrico, Powhatan, Prince George counties; Colonial Heights, Hopewell, Petersburg, Richmond cities) Shenandoah Valley CAS (Clarke, Frederick, Page, Rappahannock, Shenandoah, Warren Counties, Front Royal and Winchester cities) Smith Mtn. Lake CAS (Bedford, Botetourt, Franklin, Montgomery, Roanoke counties) Southside CAS (Chesapeake, Norfolk, Porstmouth, Suffolk, Virginia Beach) MADD National 511 E. John Carpenter Fwy., Suite 700 Irving, TX Toll Free: Victim Services: MADD-HELP Web site: For information about the above areas or for areas not covered by the above, please contact the State Office. Join MADD today and make a difference tomorrow. no membership fee Membership and Volunteer Application MADD is an organization of victims, survivors, and concerned citizens determined to reduce deaths and injuries resulting from driving under the influence. As a participant, you will be entitled to any and all of the services MADD has to offer including newsletters, magazines, and updates on current legislation and drunk driving information. Your Information Name Address City State Zip Home phone I am a victim/survivor of drunk driving I prefer not to receive MADD newsletters Make a contribution* $40 $75 $250 $1,000 Other Check Visa MC Discover AMEX Card#: Exp. Date Signature: *Financial contributions to MADD are tax deductible. Pa g e 7

8 MADD Virginia State 5310 Markel Road., Suite 101 Richmond, VA Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Richmond, VA Permit #2358 MADD s Mission To stop drunk driving, support the victims of this violent crime and prevent underage drinking. Save the date Walk Like MADD Richmond - may 14, 2011 For more information or register at