May 4, 2025 • 12 mins
We spoke with Special Events Manager Jennifer Rossi about the programs offered by MADD.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Good morning, Thank you for listening to Community Access. My
guest this morning is Jennifer Rossy. She's special events manager
for Mad Mothers Against Trunk Driving. Good morning. Hello, So
you're here today to talk about a lot of different things.
But you have an event coming up in May. It's
Community Fun Day, yes, May.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
Tenth, at the Middletown pal which is the Police Athletic League.
We are partnering with them for this community fun event
from twelve to four and we have lots of vendors
and crafts and a nine hole golf course, mini golf
and video games and you know, our presenting sponsor is
(00:41):
the Flood Law Firm, which we are so grateful for them,
and just you know, we're going to have a great
fun day and get the community out there.
Speaker 1 (00:49):
I saw food trucks and touch a truck. I mean,
there's so many things to mention. Why the need for
this event.
Speaker 2 (00:56):
It's really about getting families together to create memories. You know.
Obviously we have our educational materials and other vendors will
be there from the community giving out information, but it's
really about just making a day for people to come together.
Obviously creating awareness of impair driving and just you know,
having having fun.
Speaker 1 (01:16):
That's wonderful. Do you need to register or anything like that.
Speaker 2 (01:20):
Nope, just show up anytime between twelve.
Speaker 1 (01:23):
And four beautiful. And for more information they can go
to MAD dot org and add dot org. Why was
MAD created? How did it all come about?
Speaker 2 (01:32):
Well, back in I believe it's the nineteen eighties, two
moms started MAD as a grassroots organization. There one of
their children had been killed by an impair driver and
the other one had been injured by a repeat offender.
And as time went on, they saw a need in
(01:53):
the community that you know, something was going on, and
you know, this was a crime. You know, unfortunately, drunk
driving is not often seen as a violent crime, even
though it creates sudden you know, and traumatic deaths. And
so they started MAD and it has progressed. This year
(02:14):
in September actually will be our forty fifth anniversary.
Speaker 1 (02:17):
Wow. So one drink is too much if you're going
to drive. Correct.
Speaker 2 (02:22):
Correct, And you know, there's a lot of misconception of
what we do and who we are. And you know,
certainly now the summer's coming, there'll be picnics and parties
and you know, graduations and such. You know, and we
want everyone to be able to go out and enjoy themselves.
It's really about the choice that you make with getting home,
(02:42):
and there's so many opportunities nowadays, you know, especially with
all of us having smartphones, you know, with the ride
share programs like Uber and Lyft and am ride, to
be able to go out, have a great time and
get home safe and keep those around you safe as well.
Speaker 1 (03:00):
You like to say when it comes to underage drinking.
Speaker 2 (03:03):
Well, it is a prom and graduation season. So certainly
we are busy at mad now in the schools, especially
high schools. You know, we have a bunch of different programs,
you know, and it's really kind of teaching them why
they're twenty one, is the legal limits and about the
brain developments, and you know, teaching them that you know,
(03:27):
there are other ways to have fun and to you know,
encourage them not to give into peer pressure and you know,
and empower them to make the right choices, you know,
whether it's alcohol use or drug use, you know, and
what really side effects could be on their health later
on in life if they start at an early age
using What.
Speaker 1 (03:47):
Would you say to parents who allow alcohol in the
home and say, well, they're not leaving the house, they're
just going to be home with me, because I often hear.
Speaker 2 (03:54):
That, right, And you know, Connecticut we do have the
social host law, So not only are you held responsible,
obviously your child is as well. And a lot of parents,
you know, they think if they go out, they don't
know about it, they're there, nothing will happen. But it's
not always underage driving crashes that can result in you know,
(04:20):
injuries can be sustained from multiple factors, you know, especially
you know, teenagers aren't really paying attention, you know, and
then parents are held responsible, whether it's fine, whether it's
even jail sentence. So you know, even if they're home
or not, everyone still can be in trouble for hosting
(04:43):
a party. And really, you know, there's a whole science
behind brain development and why you should wait until you're
twenty one. And even at the age of twenty one,
your brain isn't still fully developed until like, you know,
twenty five, twenty six.
Speaker 1 (04:57):
And I often tell parents just because I have a
twenty eight year old at home, and I'm like, once
their brain is fully formed, they will begin to emotionally mature.
That's the thing. If your kid is driving you crazy
right now, and they're in their twenties, just hang in there.
Once they're brain fully forms, it does get better. But
that's what you're saying when it comes to alcohol use,
they're just not physically or emotionally mature enough to handle that.
Speaker 2 (05:20):
Right, because it's really affecting those cognition skills, and you know,
those are the skills we need to operate a vehicle.
You know, it's it's not a right to drive a
car for any of us, you know, no matter the age,
is a privilege, and you have to be able to
be able to follow the road rules of the road,
(05:40):
and you know, while maintaining this very heavy vehicle, and.
Speaker 1 (05:47):
Right it's a weapon, a vehicles a weapon really.
Speaker 2 (05:50):
And sometimes even adults, you know, obviously adults can't even
sometimes maintain their vehicles as well, you know, as underage
and you know, teen, especially when they're getting their license.
So it's we just really want to make sure that
the proper education and knowledge is out there. So you know,
parents can have discussions with a lot of our programs
(06:13):
teach different steps depending how old they are. So in
elementary school, we're starting, you know, with how to be
a safe passenger in vehicle safety and what to do
if you think someone may be impaired. Obviously, we move
to middle school and we start talking a little bit
more about the brain, and then obviously in high school
(06:34):
you're getting really into the nitty gritty of that brain
development and the why the twenty one you know, and
the dangers associated with alcohol and with cannabis use. Since
now it is, you know, legal in Connecticut, there's grave consequences,
you know, and an addiction is a lot higher the
earlier you start using, so.
Speaker 1 (06:54):
And if you smoke marijuana, it can also be considered
a duy driving under the influence as well.
Speaker 2 (07:00):
Correct. I run our Victim Impact Panel, which is a
DOUI offender court program, and I constantly remind those there
that even though it is legal to use, it is
still illegal to drive with it in your system, and
especially cannabis, it can remain in your system and your
hair fillicles for an extended period of time. So just
(07:22):
because you used it at home and then got into
your car, you were still under the influence. It's still
affecting all the skills you need to operate the vehicle.
Speaker 1 (07:31):
If you suspect that someone is under the influence. Let's
say I say I'm driving in my car and I
see someone in front of me swerving. Should you quali
nine one one just to be safe?
Speaker 2 (07:41):
Of course, I've done it myself. Yeah, I mean, you
definitely don't want to. You want to stay back from them.
But because there is a statistic that two to three
cars around you are impaired in some way, I to
say so out of ten cars, at least two are
impaired in some way, shape or form, you know, So
(08:02):
it's always better to let the police know. If they
decide to pursue it, that's obviously their decision, but you,
at least your conscience can know that you could have
stopped that person from harming another.
Speaker 1 (08:17):
Right and no hard feelings. We just want to make
sure everybody's safe.
Speaker 2 (08:21):
Yeah, definitely.
Speaker 1 (08:23):
So what kind of impact has MAD had over the
years since it's been created on culture, on people.
Speaker 2 (08:30):
We've really focused on getting the community at large to
recognize impair driving as a crime, being that it's so
commonly done and has been done for tens and twenties
for years. It's really making the awareness that it is
(08:51):
a crime. It's not okay to do. You know, on average,
someone has driven at least eighty times impaired before they're
even pulled over. Wow, So the chances of, like I said,
the two out of ten cars around you being impaired
in some way. You know, it's really important that we
(09:12):
make sure that people understand. You know, it is serious.
It you know, can change someone's life, whether they are
seriously injured, whether a loved one is killed. You know,
it has impact, and it's it's a ripple effect. So
you know, not only with the families we work with,
you know, not only their immediate family, but it translates
(09:36):
to communities, to their jobs, to you know, schools if
there's children involved, and it can really have far greater
impact in the community than say the offender would think
that they just you know, it wasn't a big deal,
but it is. And you know, we work with hundreds
of victims and survivors in our office every year and
(10:00):
the stories never get easier.
Speaker 1 (10:03):
Yeah, when you mentioned jail time or fines, that's the
least of my worries. If someone was harmed or god forbid, died,
I couldn't live with myself. It would be horrible.
Speaker 2 (10:13):
I couldn't even begin to imagine. We've We've actually worked
with some offenders throughout the years that have come to
us because they needed to do like, you know, community
service for their probation, but then have remained on for
years and years later because they've changed their life. They've
they've changed the way their attitudes are against it and
(10:36):
you know, really want to make an impact in the
community and do their parts. And you know, sometimes if
someone was killed, you know, keep that person's memory alive
as well, you know. And we've worked with some wonderful
people over the years who have certainly come to us
for a wrong reason, you know, but have really been
(10:58):
great about being a dedicated volunte here and working with
us and programs and you know, speaking with us. So
in addition to our youth program, which I spoke about
with promon graduation season, being here, in all of the
free programs that we do offer to the schools and
to the communities, the biggest part of what we do
(11:19):
at MAD is really helping the victims and survivors and
our victim services departments. I have been with MAD now
for nineteen years, and I started out as a victim
advocate in working with families and hearing the stories and
seeing pictures and you know, helping them through the court process.
And that's really what we do at MAD is we're
(11:41):
there to support them and guide them through the process
because it's not easy. It's i mean, if you just
get a ticket, you know, but now you have this
traumatic experience on top of that, and we're able to
support them through that, and even after the court process
is over, we are still there. We're there for a lifetime,
you know, and it's really what what unfortunately we have
(12:05):
to do. We'd love to never have jobs. We'd love
to certainly end in pair driving and not have this
job anymore, you know, but unfortunately we do. And you know,
until that day comes when we can you know, fully
stop in pair driving, you know, we'll be there to
support and guide and you know, really create awareness around
(12:27):
this crime.
Speaker 1 (12:27):
Wonderful. I'm speaking with Jennifer Rossy, special events manager for
MAD Mothers Against Trunk Driving. Join me and Carrie Collins.
We're going to be a community fun day on May tenth,
from twelve to four at Middletown pal that's the Police
Athletic League on Main Street. There's going to be food trucks,
mini golf, touch a truck in more, please join us.
(12:49):
Thank you so much for being here today and for
the amazing work you're doing.
Speaker 2 (12:53):
Thank you so much for having me
Good morning, Thank you for listening to Community Access. My
guest this morning is Jennifer Rossy. She's special events manager
for Mad Mothers Against Trunk Driving. Good morning. Hello, So
you're here today to talk about a lot of different things.
But you have an event coming up in May. It's
Community Fun Day, yes, May.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
Tenth, at the Middletown pal which is the Police Athletic League.
We are partnering with them for this community fun event
from twelve to four and we have lots of vendors
and crafts and a nine hole golf course, mini golf
and video games and you know, our presenting sponsor is
(00:41):
the Flood Law Firm, which we are so grateful for them,
and just you know, we're going to have a great
fun day and get the community out there.
Speaker 1 (00:49):
I saw food trucks and touch a truck. I mean,
there's so many things to mention. Why the need for
this event.
Speaker 2 (00:56):
It's really about getting families together to create memories. You know.
Obviously we have our educational materials and other vendors will
be there from the community giving out information, but it's
really about just making a day for people to come together.
Obviously creating awareness of impair driving and just you know,
having having fun.
Speaker 1 (01:16):
That's wonderful. Do you need to register or anything like that.
Speaker 2 (01:20):
Nope, just show up anytime between twelve.
Speaker 1 (01:23):
And four beautiful. And for more information they can go
to MAD dot org and add dot org. Why was
MAD created? How did it all come about?
Speaker 2 (01:32):
Well, back in I believe it's the nineteen eighties, two
moms started MAD as a grassroots organization. There one of
their children had been killed by an impair driver and
the other one had been injured by a repeat offender.
And as time went on, they saw a need in
(01:53):
the community that you know, something was going on, and
you know, this was a crime. You know, unfortunately, drunk
driving is not often seen as a violent crime, even
though it creates sudden you know, and traumatic deaths. And
so they started MAD and it has progressed. This year
(02:14):
in September actually will be our forty fifth anniversary.
Speaker 1 (02:17):
Wow. So one drink is too much if you're going
to drive. Correct.
Speaker 2 (02:22):
Correct, And you know, there's a lot of misconception of
what we do and who we are. And you know,
certainly now the summer's coming, there'll be picnics and parties
and you know, graduations and such. You know, and we
want everyone to be able to go out and enjoy themselves.
It's really about the choice that you make with getting home,
(02:42):
and there's so many opportunities nowadays, you know, especially with
all of us having smartphones, you know, with the ride
share programs like Uber and Lyft and am ride, to
be able to go out, have a great time and
get home safe and keep those around you safe as well.
Speaker 1 (03:00):
You like to say when it comes to underage drinking.
Speaker 2 (03:03):
Well, it is a prom and graduation season. So certainly
we are busy at mad now in the schools, especially
high schools. You know, we have a bunch of different programs,
you know, and it's really kind of teaching them why
they're twenty one, is the legal limits and about the
brain developments, and you know, teaching them that you know,
(03:27):
there are other ways to have fun and to you know,
encourage them not to give into peer pressure and you know,
and empower them to make the right choices, you know,
whether it's alcohol use or drug use, you know, and
what really side effects could be on their health later
on in life if they start at an early age
using What.
Speaker 1 (03:47):
Would you say to parents who allow alcohol in the
home and say, well, they're not leaving the house, they're
just going to be home with me, because I often hear.
Speaker 2 (03:54):
That, right, And you know, Connecticut we do have the
social host law, So not only are you held responsible,
obviously your child is as well. And a lot of parents,
you know, they think if they go out, they don't
know about it, they're there, nothing will happen. But it's
not always underage driving crashes that can result in you know,
(04:20):
injuries can be sustained from multiple factors, you know, especially
you know, teenagers aren't really paying attention, you know, and
then parents are held responsible, whether it's fine, whether it's
even jail sentence. So you know, even if they're home
or not, everyone still can be in trouble for hosting
(04:43):
a party. And really, you know, there's a whole science
behind brain development and why you should wait until you're
twenty one. And even at the age of twenty one,
your brain isn't still fully developed until like, you know,
twenty five, twenty six.
Speaker 1 (04:57):
And I often tell parents just because I have a
twenty eight year old at home, and I'm like, once
their brain is fully formed, they will begin to emotionally mature.
That's the thing. If your kid is driving you crazy
right now, and they're in their twenties, just hang in there.
Once they're brain fully forms, it does get better. But
that's what you're saying when it comes to alcohol use,
they're just not physically or emotionally mature enough to handle that.
Speaker 2 (05:20):
Right, because it's really affecting those cognition skills, and you know,
those are the skills we need to operate a vehicle.
You know, it's it's not a right to drive a
car for any of us, you know, no matter the age,
is a privilege, and you have to be able to
be able to follow the road rules of the road,
(05:40):
and you know, while maintaining this very heavy vehicle, and.
Speaker 1 (05:47):
Right it's a weapon, a vehicles a weapon really.
Speaker 2 (05:50):
And sometimes even adults, you know, obviously adults can't even
sometimes maintain their vehicles as well, you know, as underage
and you know, teen, especially when they're getting their license.
So it's we just really want to make sure that
the proper education and knowledge is out there. So you know,
parents can have discussions with a lot of our programs
(06:13):
teach different steps depending how old they are. So in
elementary school, we're starting, you know, with how to be
a safe passenger in vehicle safety and what to do
if you think someone may be impaired. Obviously, we move
to middle school and we start talking a little bit
more about the brain, and then obviously in high school
(06:34):
you're getting really into the nitty gritty of that brain
development and the why the twenty one you know, and
the dangers associated with alcohol and with cannabis use. Since
now it is, you know, legal in Connecticut, there's grave consequences,
you know, and an addiction is a lot higher the
earlier you start using, so.
Speaker 1 (06:54):
And if you smoke marijuana, it can also be considered
a duy driving under the influence as well.
Speaker 2 (07:00):
Correct. I run our Victim Impact Panel, which is a
DOUI offender court program, and I constantly remind those there
that even though it is legal to use, it is
still illegal to drive with it in your system, and
especially cannabis, it can remain in your system and your
hair fillicles for an extended period of time. So just
(07:22):
because you used it at home and then got into
your car, you were still under the influence. It's still
affecting all the skills you need to operate the vehicle.
Speaker 1 (07:31):
If you suspect that someone is under the influence. Let's
say I say I'm driving in my car and I
see someone in front of me swerving. Should you quali
nine one one just to be safe?
Speaker 2 (07:41):
Of course, I've done it myself. Yeah, I mean, you
definitely don't want to. You want to stay back from them.
But because there is a statistic that two to three
cars around you are impaired in some way, I to
say so out of ten cars, at least two are
impaired in some way, shape or form, you know, So
(08:02):
it's always better to let the police know. If they
decide to pursue it, that's obviously their decision, but you,
at least your conscience can know that you could have
stopped that person from harming another.
Speaker 1 (08:17):
Right and no hard feelings. We just want to make
sure everybody's safe.
Speaker 2 (08:21):
Yeah, definitely.
Speaker 1 (08:23):
So what kind of impact has MAD had over the
years since it's been created on culture, on people.
Speaker 2 (08:30):
We've really focused on getting the community at large to
recognize impair driving as a crime, being that it's so
commonly done and has been done for tens and twenties
for years. It's really making the awareness that it is
(08:51):
a crime. It's not okay to do. You know, on average,
someone has driven at least eighty times impaired before they're
even pulled over. Wow, So the chances of, like I said,
the two out of ten cars around you being impaired
in some way. You know, it's really important that we
(09:12):
make sure that people understand. You know, it is serious.
It you know, can change someone's life, whether they are
seriously injured, whether a loved one is killed. You know,
it has impact, and it's it's a ripple effect. So
you know, not only with the families we work with,
you know, not only their immediate family, but it translates
(09:36):
to communities, to their jobs, to you know, schools if
there's children involved, and it can really have far greater
impact in the community than say the offender would think
that they just you know, it wasn't a big deal,
but it is. And you know, we work with hundreds
of victims and survivors in our office every year and
(10:00):
the stories never get easier.
Speaker 1 (10:03):
Yeah, when you mentioned jail time or fines, that's the
least of my worries. If someone was harmed or god forbid, died,
I couldn't live with myself. It would be horrible.
Speaker 2 (10:13):
I couldn't even begin to imagine. We've We've actually worked
with some offenders throughout the years that have come to
us because they needed to do like, you know, community
service for their probation, but then have remained on for
years and years later because they've changed their life. They've
they've changed the way their attitudes are against it and
(10:36):
you know, really want to make an impact in the
community and do their parts. And you know, sometimes if
someone was killed, you know, keep that person's memory alive
as well, you know. And we've worked with some wonderful
people over the years who have certainly come to us
for a wrong reason, you know, but have really been
(10:58):
great about being a dedicated volunte here and working with
us and programs and you know, speaking with us. So
in addition to our youth program, which I spoke about
with promon graduation season, being here, in all of the
free programs that we do offer to the schools and
to the communities, the biggest part of what we do
(11:19):
at MAD is really helping the victims and survivors and
our victim services departments. I have been with MAD now
for nineteen years, and I started out as a victim
advocate in working with families and hearing the stories and
seeing pictures and you know, helping them through the court process.
And that's really what we do at MAD is we're
(11:41):
there to support them and guide them through the process
because it's not easy. It's i mean, if you just
get a ticket, you know, but now you have this
traumatic experience on top of that, and we're able to
support them through that, and even after the court process
is over, we are still there. We're there for a lifetime,
you know, and it's really what what unfortunately we have
(12:05):
to do. We'd love to never have jobs. We'd love
to certainly end in pair driving and not have this
job anymore, you know, but unfortunately we do. And you know,
until that day comes when we can you know, fully
stop in pair driving, you know, we'll be there to
support and guide and you know, really create awareness around
(12:27):
this crime.
Speaker 1 (12:27):
Wonderful. I'm speaking with Jennifer Rossy, special events manager for
MAD Mothers Against Trunk Driving. Join me and Carrie Collins.
We're going to be a community fun day on May tenth,
from twelve to four at Middletown pal that's the Police
Athletic League on Main Street. There's going to be food trucks,
mini golf, touch a truck in more, please join us.
(12:49):
Thank you so much for being here today and for
the amazing work you're doing.
Speaker 2 (12:53):
Thank you so much for having me
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