July 7, 2025 • 30 mins
Community DC Host Dennis Glasgow visits with CEo for Mothers Against Drunk Driving, Stacey Stewart. Also know as MADD, is a non-profit organization focused on ending drunk driving, drugged driving, and underage drinking. They achieve this through a combination of advocacy for stricter laws, victim support services, and public awareness campaigns. MADD also works to educate parents and communities about the dangers of impaired driving and underage drinking.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:08):
Good morning, and welcome to another edition of Community DC.
I'm your host Dennis Glasgow. This morning we get our
first ever visit from Stacy Stewart, who is the CEO
for Mothers Against Drunk Driving also known as MAD, a
nonprofit organization focus on any drunk driving, drug to driving,
and underage drinking. They achieved this through a combination of
advocacy for stricter laws, victims support services, and public awareness campaigns.
(00:32):
MAD also works to educate parents and communities about the
dangers of impaired driving and underage drinking. Here's my conversation
with Stacy. I hope you enjoyed as much as I did.
Speaker 2 (00:41):
Good morning, Stacy, Good morning, Good to be with you.
Speaker 1 (00:44):
Well, it's great to have you on Community DC and
this is our first visit with you, and I am
thrilled to have you here to talk about MAD. I
kind of know the history, and I'm sure our listeners
have heard about MAD and Mothers Against Drunk Driving. I
don't think that I did a justice in the intro
just a second ago. Well what it is, and I
know everything started in nineteen eighty, but could you give
us a brief history about MAD?
Speaker 2 (01:04):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (01:04):
Absolutely so we're celebrating our forty fifth anniversary this year
in September.
Speaker 2 (01:11):
I'll share more about that with you.
Speaker 3 (01:12):
But MAD is an organization Mother's against drunk Driving that
was started just about forty five years ago by a
mother whose daughter was killed in a drunk driving crash.
From there, it really ignited a grassroots movement, with MAD
chapters sprouting up all around the country. It really took
(01:37):
on as a movement to try to raise awareness and
build visibility about the dangers of then drunk driving. Since then,
we've evolved to really focus not only on drunk driving,
but also drugged driving overall, in pair driving, and that's
really our mission, and it has been for forty five years,
and we've had incredible success in thateriod of time. But unfortunately,
(02:01):
impair driving is still a major issue on our roads.
About of all the fatalities and half on our roads,
about a third of them are caused by their drunk
or drug driving. So it still is a big issue
and we're still hard to work on making change and
bring that number as close to zero as we can.
Speaker 1 (02:17):
So Stacy, over the next thirty minutes, there's a lot
to talk about when it comes to MAD. But I
always love to give our listeners a little context to
why somebody joins an organization. And I'd love to hear
because you have such a diverse resume, You've done so
many cool things, But why did you want to join
MAD What kind of said you know, this is an
organization I would love to be a part of.
Speaker 2 (02:35):
Well, it's kind of interesting.
Speaker 3 (02:36):
I actually started my career in the private sector. I
was actually after business school. I went to work on
Wall Street for a number of years and worked in
an area called public finance. When I went to business school,
I kind of had this passion around using my business skills,
but to do it for good. And when I went
(02:58):
even to Wall Street and work in corporate finance, I
worked in public finance, which was raising money for state
local governments to fund public projects like roads and bridges
and hospitals and schools. From there, I went to work
for Fanny May and I started in Atlanta. I'm originally
from Atlanta, and I started in the regional office for
Fannie May, and then I moved to DC to work
(03:21):
as the President and CEO of the Fanny May Foundation,
which at the time, this was back in nineteen ninety nine,
a long time ago, was the largest foundation in the Washington,
DC area and the largest affordable housing foundation in the country,
and I stayed. I remained at Fanny May and the
fan May Foundation until two thousand and nine, and I
(03:45):
eventually left and I went to become the head of
Global strategy for United Way Worldwide, which was based in Alexandria.
Speaker 2 (03:52):
So I've stayed in this DC area for that period
of time.
Speaker 3 (03:56):
And then headhunter called about going to march Dine, and
then another headhunter called about coming to mad and so
even though I've stayed in the DC area for twenty
five years, it's been primarily in the nonprofit philanthropic space.
And I have seen my career go from doing a
lot of different good but all the time using those
(04:17):
business skills to sort of lead organizations and help them
be as innovative and effective as possible, but always doing
good for people and communities.
Speaker 1 (04:27):
I'd love to talk to you, Stacy, about the evolution
and over the last forty five years, and I know
you're well acquainted, and you talked a little bit briefly
about the history when it started in nineteen eighty and
wide started and to where it was then to where
it is now, and I imagine with being an advocate
people volunteering and donating, but awareness and education obviously is
always a big thing, especially for parents and young drivers
(04:49):
out there. So what I'd like to talk to you about,
maybe just a little bit, if you could, about maybe
how the message, if it all, has evolved over the
last forty five years, and where you're at today with it.
Speaker 3 (04:59):
Yeah, and you know, when I started driving, there was
hardly any awareness at all about the dangers of drinking
and driving. I like to reference a picture that I
saw when I started MAD of President Johnson who was
driving while president on his ranch in Texas, and he
was it was a a convertible car and just casually
(05:23):
driving on his ranch, and he was holding a glass
of cutty sark in his left hand while he was
driving with his right hand. And the story and the
picture said, you know that when his glass got a
little bit low, that the Secret Service would just pull
up and fill his glass back up, and he continued
driving on his ranch. And that was the kind of
(05:44):
awareness that we had as a country where a US
president was visibly seen driving while drinking. Right when MAD
got started, though, that changed and the awareness of the
organization to make people aware of the dangers of drinking
and driving really took off so into the eighties and nineties,
(06:04):
and so today you know a lot of things that
we take for granted, MAD actually let the effort, let
the fight on the fact that we have twenty one
as a minimum drinking age in this country is because
of Matt changing the laws, even making it a federal law.
The fact that we have strong re seat belt laws,
that was an effort led by Man.
Speaker 2 (06:23):
The fact that point eight.
Speaker 3 (06:25):
Of a blood alcohol concentration level is known to be
the legal limit for impairment, that's also another fight that
MAD led. And so all these things have happened because
of MAD and its leadership. And so today we can
say we've saved thousands of lives, but unfortunately, today still
(06:46):
twelve thousand people will die as a result of drinking
or using drugs and driving, and that's still number is
still too high. And so the work continues. I think
allows you to say about this is I think because
of the success of MET over so many years, I
think a lot of people and because of things like
uber and lived and other right share alternatives, I think
(07:09):
a lot of people have thought, oh, well, this isn't
an issue any more, because we've passed so many laws,
we've got so many options.
Speaker 2 (07:15):
Why do people still drink and drive?
Speaker 3 (07:16):
And the unfortunate truth is that still far too many
people make that decision to get behind a wheel after
they are really not able to safely do that, and
they put themselves at risk, and they put others at risk,
and unfortunately, too many people die or injured because of
those decisions.
Speaker 2 (07:33):
And so our work is still very much needed even today.
Speaker 1 (07:37):
Well it's a point well taken. In Stacey, I get
a chance to regularly talk to Kurt Erikson, who's president
of RAPES and I'm sure contemporary and a period of yours,
and he and I always talk about statistics. And then
we talked with a local officer about the latest DUI checkpoints,
and obviously, you know the things that our police are
doing out there, and just the education and the awareness
(07:59):
as we take a look at statistics today, and I
won't hold you to anything specific, but when I talk
with Curt, it seems like the number sometimes get a
little bit of higher, which is disconcerting because the education's
out there, they're doing a yeoman's job of trying to
just make sure not only the education, but just to
enforce best they can let people know not to drink
and drive. So, when it comes to statistics, whether it's
(08:22):
the DMV or nationwide wherever we would like to share,
where are we today with everything statistically, Well, the truth.
Speaker 3 (08:27):
Of the matter is that in the US two out
of three people will be impacted by drunk driving in
their lifetimes. Either someone you will be either a victim
or maybe even possibly unfortunately an offender of a dui.
Or you'll have a close friend or someone an acquaintance
(08:48):
that you know. But this issue impacts a lot of
people in this country. Since twenty nineteen, over COVID, we
saw a tremendous increase.
Speaker 2 (09:01):
Of debts and injuries.
Speaker 3 (09:04):
We've seen a twenty two percent increase in this country
in fatalities just between twenty nineteen and twenty twenty three.
That number between twenty two and twenty three actually improved
a little bit.
Speaker 2 (09:16):
We were at a little.
Speaker 3 (09:18):
Over thirteen thousand fatalities in twenty twenty two. That number
decreased to a little over twelve thousand fatalities nationwide. The
numbers in DC, just in the district of Columbia actually
doubled the fatalities, doubled kind of small numbers, but they
still doubled. We saw also increases in Virginia and Maryland.
(09:40):
So the DMV area has been fortunately seeing some of
the increases that we've seen across the country.
Speaker 2 (09:47):
But you know, one of the things that has really helped.
Speaker 3 (09:51):
A few things have really helped really, I would say
one of the things that Matt has also worked on
is for offenders of the UIs there there is technology,
ignition interlock technology that has allowed the courts to mandate
that anyone who is an offender of a dui or
most people that are offenders of duys to have to
(10:14):
have an ignition interlock device installed on the carse Those
laws are now in the majority of all states, and
that has really been one of the things that is
that have that's really helped bring down some of the
rates of offenders, especially those who may reoffend.
Speaker 2 (10:33):
In Maryland.
Speaker 3 (10:34):
I was very involved in legislation that was passed last
year to strengthen those laws around ignition interlock devices in Maryland,
and we think that that's going to be incredibly helpful. So,
you know, what we know is that this this issue
of impair driving is is still a big issue.
Speaker 2 (10:52):
Again, it's not just alcohol. One of the big consers
we have.
Speaker 3 (10:55):
Is the increase we're seeing in what we call poly use,
so the combination of alcohol and other substances. With the
legalization of marijuana, that also is putting these numbers at
risk of going even higher because a lot of people,
especially young people, don't really think that smoking marijuana and
driving is a real problem. In fact, there's some young
(11:16):
people who have actually actually believed that smoking marijuana can
help you be a better driver. And that's about it,
as far from the truth as possible that you know,
if any kind of substance can lead to impairment, marijuana
is included in that it can slow down your reaction time.
Speaker 2 (11:32):
It can slow down your response time.
Speaker 3 (11:35):
And so one of the messages we have in MAT
is if you're consuming any kind of substance, alcohol or
other substances, even prescription drugs, you should be very careful
about them getting behind the wheel because it can lead
to your inability to drive safely and you're then putting
yourself at risk and putting others at risk.
Speaker 1 (11:53):
Well, it's fortuitive. So you mentioned that because once again
that's a discussion we have that marijuana is being legalized
in so many different states. It's another issue for the
police forces out there. And I think this is a
great segue to talk about advocating, because I know that's
really big on your list, probably a full time job
on its own, whether you're going to Capitol Hill or
you're dealing with states, And I don't know, if it's complicated,
I'd love to get it behind the scenes from you,
(12:15):
because we're talking about all the states that have different laws,
and then we're talking about federal laws. And even though
I think we're going in the right direction for seat
belts and some of the safety lock issues, when you're
a dui driver and you've been convicted, I think we
can agree that's going in the right direction. But what
does a week look like for you or a month
when it comes to advocating, whether it's Capitol Hill, whether
(12:35):
you're dealing with states or you're working with the state
of Maryland and talking about what needs to be done,
where can we go next? And I imagine you're talking
also with different police institutions too about what they're seeing
and hearing on the streets. So what's it like for you.
Speaker 3 (12:49):
Well, one of the great things that we're working on
right now is implementing a law that was passed in
twenty twenty one called the hall To Act. The Hall
Act is Halted an acronym. It's named in honor of
a family of five that was killed in an impair
driving crash actually in Kentucky.
Speaker 2 (13:09):
They were on vacation in Florida driving back home.
Speaker 3 (13:12):
To America Michigan, and they were hit head on by
a drunk driver who was at four times a legal
limit on I seventy five on the wrong side of
the highway.
Speaker 2 (13:23):
Two parents, three children, all killed instantly.
Speaker 3 (13:27):
That bill that was passed in twenty twenty one to
Halt Act the honoring the a Boss Families Legacy to
terminate drunk driving, actually now mandates for there to be
anti drunk driving technology included in all new cars. It
was a huge win for MAD to get that bill
(13:48):
passed signed into law in twenty twenty one. Now the
work is trying to get the bill fully implemented. That
means getting the rule making done. That means working with
the federal government to actually end industry to.
Speaker 2 (13:59):
Get it to get.
Speaker 3 (14:01):
The rules written as to what kind of technology will
be fully implemented. The timetable around that, and so we're
actively working on that. It is proving to be as
challenging to get the bill passed as it is to
get it implemented. So there's a lot of work, and
so our advocates today and my job every day is
trying to build awareness so that we continue to inform
(14:22):
and educate the public that this bill is passed.
Speaker 2 (14:25):
This technology does exist, it's just not in cars today.
Speaker 3 (14:28):
And if you're a parent, for example, of a teenager
who's just gotten their license, and I know every parent
thinks they can trust their kids, and all parents want
to and we all strive to be able to trust
our sixteen and seventeen year olds to always make.
Speaker 2 (14:44):
The best decisions possible.
Speaker 3 (14:46):
It is always true that there are some children, young people,
young adults who find themselves in situations where maybe they've
gone out to a party, maybe they're out with their friends.
Maybe they or their friends might be consuming even though
it may not be legal for them to do so,
and then they've got to get home. If you've got
(15:08):
a car with anti drunk driving technology, you might sleep
a little better at if you're a parent, not worried
about whether or not your child or their friend and
your childhood passenger might make it.
Speaker 2 (15:18):
Home safely because the car.
Speaker 3 (15:21):
The technology that we're advocating for, would not allow the
car to operate if someone is above a legal limit.
Speaker 2 (15:28):
The technology that we're advocating for, and.
Speaker 3 (15:31):
The technology that exists today, is not like ignition interlock devices,
where you actually have to physically blow into a device.
This technology, which has been in the works for now
many many years, is more passive technology. It's the kind
of technology where you sit in your car, it immediately
detects whether or not you're above the legal limit of
impairment for alcohol, and the car will.
Speaker 2 (15:54):
Not fully operate if you are down the road.
Speaker 3 (15:57):
We hope technology will be smart enough to care after
other kinds of impairment.
Speaker 2 (16:01):
Right now, what we're.
Speaker 3 (16:02):
Working on is at least focusing on alcohol impairment as
the first step. And again, this technology has been worked
on for many, many years. It's available, it just needs
to get into cars today. So we need the technology
to be fully implemented, We need the rules to be written,
and we need our advocates to continue to push for
federal lawmakers to get this work done and to push
(16:23):
with automakers to start the process of getting it fully
as a part of the manufacturing process as well. So
that's a lot of what our work is today, and
we're pushing a lot for halt implementation and making sure
that this technology can be fully in place. The lasting
(16:43):
to say about this is that we know this technology
will work. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and independent
objective organization that focuses on roadway safety has said that
once this technology is fully implemented, it will save up
to ten.
Speaker 2 (17:00):
Lives per year.
Speaker 3 (17:01):
So the twelve thirteen thousand people that die per year,
ten thousand of those lives could be saved if this
technology is fully implemented.
Speaker 2 (17:11):
So this is why we're pushing.
Speaker 3 (17:14):
So hard for men to continue to do the work
that we're doing so that we can actually bring drunk
driving and a pair drivings close to zero. And with
this new technology, we are as close to that kind
of reality as we've ever been before.
Speaker 1 (17:26):
Well that's huge news. I do want to stand that
for just a minute, but I did want to remind
people that if your parents like me and Stacy, this
is why your insurance premiums are so hard. Everybody I mean,
that's so big. I've got a twenty three year old.
I know you've got college kids, and you know, just
until I think they're twenty five twenty six is when
it gets a little bit better. But because young people
make a little bit more mistakes, not to say that
nobody out there makes mistakes. It doesn't matter what age
(17:48):
it is. It's the young people that get really dinged,
and the parents have to pay the high premiums. So
that's just the way it is now. But I did
want I'd love the statistics and the new technology thing,
and I was going to ask you, I imagine it
takes years before you see tangible evidence and statistics. But
when these different technologies come out or different laws come out,
have you seen across the board that drunk driving does
(18:09):
go down or is it a little bit different in
every state in every region. How does that work?
Speaker 2 (18:13):
Well, it can be different every state and every region.
Speaker 3 (18:18):
You know, there are a lot of things beyond even
technology that determine whether or not we're able to do
a really good job with.
Speaker 2 (18:26):
Reducing the UIs.
Speaker 3 (18:27):
So we've always relied very heavily on law enforcement, with
highly visible enforcement to make sure that people are aware
that if they are drinking or using drugs and driving,
that there is a chance that they could get caught,
and that that's always been an effective countermeasure to making
(18:47):
sure that we can reduce the numbers of impair driving
crashes on our roads. But you know, it's unfair to
put the onus all in law enforcement. We need these tools,
we need technology tools that are smart tools.
Speaker 2 (19:02):
To also be in place to keep people safe.
Speaker 3 (19:05):
The technology that we've been relying on has been this
ignition and a lot of technology, which is great technology,
but again it's there have been lots.
Speaker 2 (19:14):
Of loopholes with those laws.
Speaker 3 (19:16):
For example, many many states passed ignition and a lack
of device laws, but then they only apply to if
you are a repeat offender, not if you were the
first offender. Well, a lot of times fatalities happened even
before the person you know is a second is a
second time offender. Sometimes the technology is not in place
(19:36):
if you have never been an offender, and that's really
an issue. One of the things that is really fascinating
about that is that for a lot of people who
get arrested for DUI, the CDC has done studies and
they've said that people are generally eighty times have been
drinking or driving eighty times before they actually ever get
arrested for DUI.
Speaker 1 (19:59):
That's a sober statistic, it is.
Speaker 3 (20:02):
And the other thing about it, Dennis, is we know
that this issue of drinking and using drugs and driving
isn't something that I mean, it certainly happens if someone
will go out and have maybe one or two glasses
too many at dinner and happen to be driving home,
and it's a you know, they don't do it regularly.
Speaker 2 (20:21):
It's not doesn't usually happen, it's just a one off.
Speaker 3 (20:24):
But I can tell you that the statistics show that
about two thirds of the fatalities are caused by drivers
who are driving at approximately twice the legal limit.
Speaker 2 (20:36):
Twice the legal limit is a significant amount.
Speaker 3 (20:38):
Of alcohol that you've been drinking, you know, for one
hundred and seventy pounds, man, that's several drinks in the
course of an hour or two. And that seems to
indicate that it's not just a casual drinker with maybe
one glass too many that the majority of the fatalities
are happening with with chronic drinkers. In fact, about eighty
(21:01):
percent of those that have been arrested perdu I have
said have admitted that they either do have a drinking
problem or they are an alcoholic in fact.
Speaker 2 (21:10):
And so one of the.
Speaker 3 (21:11):
Things that we've been doing at MAD is to try
to draw attention to the fact that impair driving appears
to be closely aligned to a lot of the other
issues that we're seeing with the opioid crisis, for example,
that we've got a lot of people who are really struggling,
especially during COVID during twenty nineteen to twenty twenty two.
That numbers got a little better when we take into
account twenty three data, but we saw a thirty three
(21:33):
percent increase in fatalities between twenty nineteen and twenty twenty
two that.
Speaker 2 (21:39):
Specific time of COVID.
Speaker 3 (21:41):
That coincides with the fact that we saw about the
same level of people reporting depressive episodes, anxiety related episodes,
other mental health related challenges. So we know that there's
a strong correlation between mental wellness and how it shows
up with respect to impeer driving crashes, fatalities, and injuries.
Speaker 2 (22:02):
So ad MATT one of the things.
Speaker 3 (22:03):
We try to do is, in addition to our work
on getting this technology implemented, through the Hall. DECT is
also trying to remind people that, look, if you're struggling
with mental health issues, if you're struggling with substitutes disorder,
don't also fall victim to being an offender of a
dui and potentially, you know, putting yourself at risk and
(22:24):
others at risk. That it's time to get help, that
there are resources in your local community that can help,
and in fact that there's a strong risk that not
only might you be hurting yourself, but you could actually
get into real trouble and find yourself really tangled up
in the criminal justice system, or even worse, being the
(22:45):
cause of a fatality of someone and causing someone to
lose a loved one, and that's or losing your own life.
And that's something that you know, it's just the worst
of all outcomes, and that's something that we're working hard
to try to prevent as much as we can.
Speaker 1 (22:57):
Yeah, it's a great point, Stacy, and something Court and
I have also talked about that you're alluding to folks
that if you have this on your record, it stays
with you the rest of your life, and that means
job interviews and everything else, and it could be a
real stinger, especially if you're a young person, and it's
just a horrible thing to happen to go to jail
for something like that and have that follow you through
the legal system. You know, we have several minutes left, Stacy,
(23:18):
and I know that we have to talk about when
it comes to MAD Safe Summer. But also there are
so many ways to get involved in the gift. Can
you go over several of those with us?
Speaker 2 (23:27):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (23:27):
Absolutely so. One of the things that I want to
share with folks is, I know I'm giving a lot
of information. All this information is on our website at
mad madd dot org. A couple of things we would
love to get people sort of first of all, just
educated on the issues and making sure that people are
educated so that you stay stay safe, that you keep
(23:50):
others safe.
Speaker 2 (23:51):
If you're a parent, we have resources.
Speaker 3 (23:53):
On our website at MAD dot org that will help
you be able to have conversations with your children even
as early as middle.
Speaker 2 (23:59):
School through high school, how to talk to your kids.
Speaker 3 (24:03):
So that you have a really honest, upfront conversation about
the dangers of underage drinking, underage drug use, and certainly
avoiding the dangers of impair driving. We also want to
ask people to get really involved with us on the
advocacy side. So, Dennis, I'm glad you raised that earlier
about advocating, So advocacy around getting the Halt bill and
(24:25):
act fully implemented advocacy. To make your voice known to
your member of Congress, or to a member the administration,
or to anyone that will listen, to let them know
how much you care about getting these protective measures included
in cars. It's anti drunk driving technology included in cars.
(24:45):
We want to ask everyone to sign up to be
an advocate, and you can do that at MAD dot
org and you can get talking points and get alert
sent to you about when it might be useful to
have your voice heard by a policymaker or a lawmaker
or someone that is in a position of influence. Also,
we love volunteers, and you can side up a volunteer.
Speaker 2 (25:08):
The last thing we really really need.
Speaker 3 (25:10):
We're a five oh one C three organization or nonprofit organization.
We can always, always, always rely on donations.
Speaker 2 (25:16):
We have so many victims and survivors.
Speaker 3 (25:19):
That's another thing I just we'll mention if you're a
victim or a survivor of an impair driving crash.
Speaker 2 (25:24):
Please reach out to MAD.
Speaker 3 (25:27):
We have served tens of thousands of people over many
years about.
Speaker 2 (25:34):
About the issue of impaer driving and.
Speaker 3 (25:40):
Trying to provide resources to victims and survivors to give
them the support that they need in order to make
sure that they, you know, can get supported through what
is probably a life changing event, maybe even event that's
that's changed their lives.
Speaker 2 (25:57):
So we want to.
Speaker 3 (25:58):
Make sure that if you are a vic' or survivor
of an impair driving crash that you have access to
resources as well. Please visit MAD dot org for that
information as well. And so a lot of what we
have available is to inform the public to help serve
victims and survivors, to make sure that we can have
(26:20):
as much advocacy going on to continue to make progress
on getting.
Speaker 2 (26:26):
Rid of impeer driving. Bringing it to.
Speaker 3 (26:29):
An end for once and for all is really an
ultimate goal, and we need the public's help to make.
Speaker 2 (26:33):
Sure that that happens.
Speaker 1 (26:34):
Outstanding, well, listen to Stacy. We have about two two
and a half minutes left and I just like to
get some final thoughts about maybe either something we haven't
talked about yet or maybe recap everything and we'll give
the website one more time. By the way, whoever designed
the website, it's easy to navigate, folks, it's informational, it's
cool to go around and there really is a lot
of info on there for all the questions you have.
But Stacy, maybe just recapping what we've talked about in
(26:57):
some final thoughts. The floor is yours.
Speaker 3 (26:59):
So first of all, I just want to say thank
you for allowing me to be on the most important
thing is for people that think that drunk and drunk
driving is no longer a problem, I just want to
say it absolutely is. I mean to lose almost thirteen
thousand people every single year, hundreds of thousands of people
to be injured, it still.
Speaker 2 (27:18):
Is happening every single day, every single day. We are
still seeing far too many people being.
Speaker 3 (27:25):
The victims of these totally one hundred percent preventable crimes.
Speaker 2 (27:30):
And it's there's something that we all can do about it.
Speaker 3 (27:34):
The fact that we still have you know, people that
today maybe don't make the best decisions after they have
had had a good time out on the town and
they were maybe struggling with some sort of issues in
their own lives and decide to get behind the wheel
is just simply not acceptable, and there's something that we
(27:56):
can all do about it. So we really want people
to reach out to us at MATT, donate.
Speaker 2 (28:02):
To our cause at MAD dot org.
Speaker 3 (28:04):
Be a volunteer, be an advocate, visit it and more information.
Speaker 2 (28:08):
Spread the word to.
Speaker 3 (28:09):
Your friends and family that it's never okay to drink,
to use drugs and get behind the wheel and drive.
That's the ultimate message, and that's certainly what we can
all do together and keep each other safe.
Speaker 1 (28:21):
And we should mention that there's a twenty four to
seven support line eight seven seven MAD, m ADD Help HLP,
and then also the website and lots of information out
there and lots of good stuff. Stacy. I can't tell
you how much I appreciate your valuable time. It's educational,
it's fun to talk to people like you because you're
doing great work with your team out there. I know
(28:42):
it's hard work, but if it wasn't for people like you,
the statistic would be so much more higher. So we're
also grateful to you your team and MAD and everything
that you guys do. So thank you so much. I'd
love to have you back on the program again, but
thank you so much for joining us on Community DC.
We really appreciate and continue success.
Speaker 2 (28:58):
Thank you so much. Appreciate.
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Good morning, and welcome to another edition of Community DC.
I'm your host Dennis Glasgow. This morning we get our
first ever visit from Stacy Stewart, who is the CEO
for Mothers Against Drunk Driving also known as MAD, a
nonprofit organization focus on any drunk driving, drug to driving,
and underage drinking. They achieved this through a combination of
advocacy for stricter laws, victims support services, and public awareness campaigns.
(00:32):
MAD also works to educate parents and communities about the
dangers of impaired driving and underage drinking. Here's my conversation
with Stacy. I hope you enjoyed as much as I did.
Speaker 2 (00:41):
Good morning, Stacy, Good morning, Good to be with you.
Speaker 1 (00:44):
Well, it's great to have you on Community DC and
this is our first visit with you, and I am
thrilled to have you here to talk about MAD. I
kind of know the history, and I'm sure our listeners
have heard about MAD and Mothers Against Drunk Driving. I
don't think that I did a justice in the intro
just a second ago. Well what it is, and I
know everything started in nineteen eighty, but could you give
us a brief history about MAD?
Speaker 2 (01:04):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (01:04):
Absolutely so we're celebrating our forty fifth anniversary this year
in September.
Speaker 2 (01:11):
I'll share more about that with you.
Speaker 3 (01:12):
But MAD is an organization Mother's against drunk Driving that
was started just about forty five years ago by a
mother whose daughter was killed in a drunk driving crash.
From there, it really ignited a grassroots movement, with MAD
chapters sprouting up all around the country. It really took
(01:37):
on as a movement to try to raise awareness and
build visibility about the dangers of then drunk driving. Since then,
we've evolved to really focus not only on drunk driving,
but also drugged driving overall, in pair driving, and that's
really our mission, and it has been for forty five years,
and we've had incredible success in thateriod of time. But unfortunately,
(02:01):
impair driving is still a major issue on our roads.
About of all the fatalities and half on our roads,
about a third of them are caused by their drunk
or drug driving. So it still is a big issue
and we're still hard to work on making change and
bring that number as close to zero as we can.
Speaker 1 (02:17):
So Stacy, over the next thirty minutes, there's a lot
to talk about when it comes to MAD. But I
always love to give our listeners a little context to
why somebody joins an organization. And I'd love to hear
because you have such a diverse resume, You've done so
many cool things, But why did you want to join
MAD What kind of said you know, this is an
organization I would love to be a part of.
Speaker 2 (02:35):
Well, it's kind of interesting.
Speaker 3 (02:36):
I actually started my career in the private sector. I
was actually after business school. I went to work on
Wall Street for a number of years and worked in
an area called public finance. When I went to business school,
I kind of had this passion around using my business skills,
but to do it for good. And when I went
(02:58):
even to Wall Street and work in corporate finance, I
worked in public finance, which was raising money for state
local governments to fund public projects like roads and bridges
and hospitals and schools. From there, I went to work
for Fanny May and I started in Atlanta. I'm originally
from Atlanta, and I started in the regional office for
Fannie May, and then I moved to DC to work
(03:21):
as the President and CEO of the Fanny May Foundation,
which at the time, this was back in nineteen ninety nine,
a long time ago, was the largest foundation in the Washington,
DC area and the largest affordable housing foundation in the country,
and I stayed. I remained at Fanny May and the
fan May Foundation until two thousand and nine, and I
(03:45):
eventually left and I went to become the head of
Global strategy for United Way Worldwide, which was based in Alexandria.
Speaker 2 (03:52):
So I've stayed in this DC area for that period
of time.
Speaker 3 (03:56):
And then headhunter called about going to march Dine, and
then another headhunter called about coming to mad and so
even though I've stayed in the DC area for twenty
five years, it's been primarily in the nonprofit philanthropic space.
And I have seen my career go from doing a
lot of different good but all the time using those
(04:17):
business skills to sort of lead organizations and help them
be as innovative and effective as possible, but always doing
good for people and communities.
Speaker 1 (04:27):
I'd love to talk to you, Stacy, about the evolution
and over the last forty five years, and I know
you're well acquainted, and you talked a little bit briefly
about the history when it started in nineteen eighty and
wide started and to where it was then to where
it is now, and I imagine with being an advocate
people volunteering and donating, but awareness and education obviously is
always a big thing, especially for parents and young drivers
(04:49):
out there. So what I'd like to talk to you about,
maybe just a little bit, if you could, about maybe
how the message, if it all, has evolved over the
last forty five years, and where you're at today with it.
Speaker 3 (04:59):
Yeah, and you know, when I started driving, there was
hardly any awareness at all about the dangers of drinking
and driving. I like to reference a picture that I
saw when I started MAD of President Johnson who was
driving while president on his ranch in Texas, and he
was it was a a convertible car and just casually
(05:23):
driving on his ranch, and he was holding a glass
of cutty sark in his left hand while he was
driving with his right hand. And the story and the
picture said, you know that when his glass got a
little bit low, that the Secret Service would just pull
up and fill his glass back up, and he continued
driving on his ranch. And that was the kind of
(05:44):
awareness that we had as a country where a US
president was visibly seen driving while drinking. Right when MAD
got started, though, that changed and the awareness of the
organization to make people aware of the dangers of drinking
and driving really took off so into the eighties and nineties,
(06:04):
and so today you know a lot of things that
we take for granted, MAD actually let the effort, let
the fight on the fact that we have twenty one
as a minimum drinking age in this country is because
of Matt changing the laws, even making it a federal law.
The fact that we have strong re seat belt laws,
that was an effort led by Man.
Speaker 2 (06:23):
The fact that point eight.
Speaker 3 (06:25):
Of a blood alcohol concentration level is known to be
the legal limit for impairment, that's also another fight that
MAD led. And so all these things have happened because
of MAD and its leadership. And so today we can
say we've saved thousands of lives, but unfortunately, today still
(06:46):
twelve thousand people will die as a result of drinking
or using drugs and driving, and that's still number is
still too high. And so the work continues. I think
allows you to say about this is I think because
of the success of MET over so many years, I
think a lot of people and because of things like
uber and lived and other right share alternatives, I think
(07:09):
a lot of people have thought, oh, well, this isn't
an issue any more, because we've passed so many laws,
we've got so many options.
Speaker 2 (07:15):
Why do people still drink and drive?
Speaker 3 (07:16):
And the unfortunate truth is that still far too many
people make that decision to get behind a wheel after
they are really not able to safely do that, and
they put themselves at risk, and they put others at risk,
and unfortunately, too many people die or injured because of
those decisions.
Speaker 2 (07:33):
And so our work is still very much needed even today.
Speaker 1 (07:37):
Well it's a point well taken. In Stacey, I get
a chance to regularly talk to Kurt Erikson, who's president
of RAPES and I'm sure contemporary and a period of yours,
and he and I always talk about statistics. And then
we talked with a local officer about the latest DUI checkpoints,
and obviously, you know the things that our police are
doing out there, and just the education and the awareness
(07:59):
as we take a look at statistics today, and I
won't hold you to anything specific, but when I talk
with Curt, it seems like the number sometimes get a
little bit of higher, which is disconcerting because the education's
out there, they're doing a yeoman's job of trying to
just make sure not only the education, but just to
enforce best they can let people know not to drink
and drive. So, when it comes to statistics, whether it's
(08:22):
the DMV or nationwide wherever we would like to share,
where are we today with everything statistically, Well, the truth.
Speaker 3 (08:27):
Of the matter is that in the US two out
of three people will be impacted by drunk driving in
their lifetimes. Either someone you will be either a victim
or maybe even possibly unfortunately an offender of a dui.
Or you'll have a close friend or someone an acquaintance
(08:48):
that you know. But this issue impacts a lot of
people in this country. Since twenty nineteen, over COVID, we
saw a tremendous increase.
Speaker 2 (09:01):
Of debts and injuries.
Speaker 3 (09:04):
We've seen a twenty two percent increase in this country
in fatalities just between twenty nineteen and twenty twenty three.
That number between twenty two and twenty three actually improved
a little bit.
Speaker 2 (09:16):
We were at a little.
Speaker 3 (09:18):
Over thirteen thousand fatalities in twenty twenty two. That number
decreased to a little over twelve thousand fatalities nationwide. The
numbers in DC, just in the district of Columbia actually
doubled the fatalities, doubled kind of small numbers, but they
still doubled. We saw also increases in Virginia and Maryland.
(09:40):
So the DMV area has been fortunately seeing some of
the increases that we've seen across the country.
Speaker 2 (09:47):
But you know, one of the things that has really helped.
Speaker 3 (09:51):
A few things have really helped really, I would say
one of the things that Matt has also worked on
is for offenders of the UIs there there is technology,
ignition interlock technology that has allowed the courts to mandate
that anyone who is an offender of a dui or
most people that are offenders of duys to have to
(10:14):
have an ignition interlock device installed on the carse Those
laws are now in the majority of all states, and
that has really been one of the things that is
that have that's really helped bring down some of the
rates of offenders, especially those who may reoffend.
Speaker 2 (10:33):
In Maryland.
Speaker 3 (10:34):
I was very involved in legislation that was passed last
year to strengthen those laws around ignition interlock devices in Maryland,
and we think that that's going to be incredibly helpful. So,
you know, what we know is that this this issue
of impair driving is is still a big issue.
Speaker 2 (10:52):
Again, it's not just alcohol. One of the big consers
we have.
Speaker 3 (10:55):
Is the increase we're seeing in what we call poly use,
so the combination of alcohol and other substances. With the
legalization of marijuana, that also is putting these numbers at
risk of going even higher because a lot of people,
especially young people, don't really think that smoking marijuana and
driving is a real problem. In fact, there's some young
(11:16):
people who have actually actually believed that smoking marijuana can
help you be a better driver. And that's about it,
as far from the truth as possible that you know,
if any kind of substance can lead to impairment, marijuana
is included in that it can slow down your reaction time.
Speaker 2 (11:32):
It can slow down your response time.
Speaker 3 (11:35):
And so one of the messages we have in MAT
is if you're consuming any kind of substance, alcohol or
other substances, even prescription drugs, you should be very careful
about them getting behind the wheel because it can lead
to your inability to drive safely and you're then putting
yourself at risk and putting others at risk.
Speaker 1 (11:53):
Well, it's fortuitive. So you mentioned that because once again
that's a discussion we have that marijuana is being legalized
in so many different states. It's another issue for the
police forces out there. And I think this is a
great segue to talk about advocating, because I know that's
really big on your list, probably a full time job
on its own, whether you're going to Capitol Hill or
you're dealing with states, And I don't know, if it's complicated,
I'd love to get it behind the scenes from you,
(12:15):
because we're talking about all the states that have different laws,
and then we're talking about federal laws. And even though
I think we're going in the right direction for seat
belts and some of the safety lock issues, when you're
a dui driver and you've been convicted, I think we
can agree that's going in the right direction. But what
does a week look like for you or a month
when it comes to advocating, whether it's Capitol Hill, whether
(12:35):
you're dealing with states or you're working with the state
of Maryland and talking about what needs to be done,
where can we go next? And I imagine you're talking
also with different police institutions too about what they're seeing
and hearing on the streets. So what's it like for you.
Speaker 3 (12:49):
Well, one of the great things that we're working on
right now is implementing a law that was passed in
twenty twenty one called the hall To Act. The Hall
Act is Halted an acronym. It's named in honor of
a family of five that was killed in an impair
driving crash actually in Kentucky.
Speaker 2 (13:09):
They were on vacation in Florida driving back home.
Speaker 3 (13:12):
To America Michigan, and they were hit head on by
a drunk driver who was at four times a legal
limit on I seventy five on the wrong side of
the highway.
Speaker 2 (13:23):
Two parents, three children, all killed instantly.
Speaker 3 (13:27):
That bill that was passed in twenty twenty one to
Halt Act the honoring the a Boss Families Legacy to
terminate drunk driving, actually now mandates for there to be
anti drunk driving technology included in all new cars. It
was a huge win for MAD to get that bill
(13:48):
passed signed into law in twenty twenty one. Now the
work is trying to get the bill fully implemented. That
means getting the rule making done. That means working with
the federal government to actually end industry to.
Speaker 2 (13:59):
Get it to get.
Speaker 3 (14:01):
The rules written as to what kind of technology will
be fully implemented. The timetable around that, and so we're
actively working on that. It is proving to be as
challenging to get the bill passed as it is to
get it implemented. So there's a lot of work, and
so our advocates today and my job every day is
trying to build awareness so that we continue to inform
(14:22):
and educate the public that this bill is passed.
Speaker 2 (14:25):
This technology does exist, it's just not in cars today.
Speaker 3 (14:28):
And if you're a parent, for example, of a teenager
who's just gotten their license, and I know every parent
thinks they can trust their kids, and all parents want
to and we all strive to be able to trust
our sixteen and seventeen year olds to always make.
Speaker 2 (14:44):
The best decisions possible.
Speaker 3 (14:46):
It is always true that there are some children, young people,
young adults who find themselves in situations where maybe they've
gone out to a party, maybe they're out with their friends.
Maybe they or their friends might be consuming even though
it may not be legal for them to do so,
and then they've got to get home. If you've got
(15:08):
a car with anti drunk driving technology, you might sleep
a little better at if you're a parent, not worried
about whether or not your child or their friend and
your childhood passenger might make it.
Speaker 2 (15:18):
Home safely because the car.
Speaker 3 (15:21):
The technology that we're advocating for, would not allow the
car to operate if someone is above a legal limit.
Speaker 2 (15:28):
The technology that we're advocating for, and.
Speaker 3 (15:31):
The technology that exists today, is not like ignition interlock devices,
where you actually have to physically blow into a device.
This technology, which has been in the works for now
many many years, is more passive technology. It's the kind
of technology where you sit in your car, it immediately
detects whether or not you're above the legal limit of
impairment for alcohol, and the car will.
Speaker 2 (15:54):
Not fully operate if you are down the road.
Speaker 3 (15:57):
We hope technology will be smart enough to care after
other kinds of impairment.
Speaker 2 (16:01):
Right now, what we're.
Speaker 3 (16:02):
Working on is at least focusing on alcohol impairment as
the first step. And again, this technology has been worked
on for many, many years. It's available, it just needs
to get into cars today. So we need the technology
to be fully implemented, We need the rules to be written,
and we need our advocates to continue to push for
federal lawmakers to get this work done and to push
(16:23):
with automakers to start the process of getting it fully
as a part of the manufacturing process as well. So
that's a lot of what our work is today, and
we're pushing a lot for halt implementation and making sure
that this technology can be fully in place. The lasting
(16:43):
to say about this is that we know this technology
will work. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and independent
objective organization that focuses on roadway safety has said that
once this technology is fully implemented, it will save up
to ten.
Speaker 2 (17:00):
Lives per year.
Speaker 3 (17:01):
So the twelve thirteen thousand people that die per year,
ten thousand of those lives could be saved if this
technology is fully implemented.
Speaker 2 (17:11):
So this is why we're pushing.
Speaker 3 (17:14):
So hard for men to continue to do the work
that we're doing so that we can actually bring drunk
driving and a pair drivings close to zero. And with
this new technology, we are as close to that kind
of reality as we've ever been before.
Speaker 1 (17:26):
Well that's huge news. I do want to stand that
for just a minute, but I did want to remind
people that if your parents like me and Stacy, this
is why your insurance premiums are so hard. Everybody I mean,
that's so big. I've got a twenty three year old.
I know you've got college kids, and you know, just
until I think they're twenty five twenty six is when
it gets a little bit better. But because young people
make a little bit more mistakes, not to say that
nobody out there makes mistakes. It doesn't matter what age
(17:48):
it is. It's the young people that get really dinged,
and the parents have to pay the high premiums. So
that's just the way it is now. But I did
want I'd love the statistics and the new technology thing,
and I was going to ask you, I imagine it
takes years before you see tangible evidence and statistics. But
when these different technologies come out or different laws come out,
have you seen across the board that drunk driving does
(18:09):
go down or is it a little bit different in
every state in every region. How does that work?
Speaker 2 (18:13):
Well, it can be different every state and every region.
Speaker 3 (18:18):
You know, there are a lot of things beyond even
technology that determine whether or not we're able to do
a really good job with.
Speaker 2 (18:26):
Reducing the UIs.
Speaker 3 (18:27):
So we've always relied very heavily on law enforcement, with
highly visible enforcement to make sure that people are aware
that if they are drinking or using drugs and driving,
that there is a chance that they could get caught,
and that that's always been an effective countermeasure to making
(18:47):
sure that we can reduce the numbers of impair driving
crashes on our roads. But you know, it's unfair to
put the onus all in law enforcement. We need these tools,
we need technology tools that are smart tools.
Speaker 2 (19:02):
To also be in place to keep people safe.
Speaker 3 (19:05):
The technology that we've been relying on has been this
ignition and a lot of technology, which is great technology,
but again it's there have been lots.
Speaker 2 (19:14):
Of loopholes with those laws.
Speaker 3 (19:16):
For example, many many states passed ignition and a lack
of device laws, but then they only apply to if
you are a repeat offender, not if you were the
first offender. Well, a lot of times fatalities happened even
before the person you know is a second is a
second time offender. Sometimes the technology is not in place
(19:36):
if you have never been an offender, and that's really
an issue. One of the things that is really fascinating
about that is that for a lot of people who
get arrested for DUI, the CDC has done studies and
they've said that people are generally eighty times have been
drinking or driving eighty times before they actually ever get
arrested for DUI.
Speaker 1 (19:59):
That's a sober statistic, it is.
Speaker 3 (20:02):
And the other thing about it, Dennis, is we know
that this issue of drinking and using drugs and driving
isn't something that I mean, it certainly happens if someone
will go out and have maybe one or two glasses
too many at dinner and happen to be driving home,
and it's a you know, they don't do it regularly.
Speaker 2 (20:21):
It's not doesn't usually happen, it's just a one off.
Speaker 3 (20:24):
But I can tell you that the statistics show that
about two thirds of the fatalities are caused by drivers
who are driving at approximately twice the legal limit.
Speaker 2 (20:36):
Twice the legal limit is a significant amount.
Speaker 3 (20:38):
Of alcohol that you've been drinking, you know, for one
hundred and seventy pounds, man, that's several drinks in the
course of an hour or two. And that seems to
indicate that it's not just a casual drinker with maybe
one glass too many that the majority of the fatalities
are happening with with chronic drinkers. In fact, about eighty
(21:01):
percent of those that have been arrested perdu I have
said have admitted that they either do have a drinking
problem or they are an alcoholic in fact.
Speaker 2 (21:10):
And so one of the.
Speaker 3 (21:11):
Things that we've been doing at MAD is to try
to draw attention to the fact that impair driving appears
to be closely aligned to a lot of the other
issues that we're seeing with the opioid crisis, for example,
that we've got a lot of people who are really struggling,
especially during COVID during twenty nineteen to twenty twenty two.
That numbers got a little better when we take into
account twenty three data, but we saw a thirty three
(21:33):
percent increase in fatalities between twenty nineteen and twenty twenty
two that.
Speaker 2 (21:39):
Specific time of COVID.
Speaker 3 (21:41):
That coincides with the fact that we saw about the
same level of people reporting depressive episodes, anxiety related episodes,
other mental health related challenges. So we know that there's
a strong correlation between mental wellness and how it shows
up with respect to impeer driving crashes, fatalities, and injuries.
Speaker 2 (22:02):
So ad MATT one of the things.
Speaker 3 (22:03):
We try to do is, in addition to our work
on getting this technology implemented, through the Hall. DECT is
also trying to remind people that, look, if you're struggling
with mental health issues, if you're struggling with substitutes disorder,
don't also fall victim to being an offender of a
dui and potentially, you know, putting yourself at risk and
(22:24):
others at risk. That it's time to get help, that
there are resources in your local community that can help,
and in fact that there's a strong risk that not
only might you be hurting yourself, but you could actually
get into real trouble and find yourself really tangled up
in the criminal justice system, or even worse, being the
(22:45):
cause of a fatality of someone and causing someone to
lose a loved one, and that's or losing your own life.
And that's something that you know, it's just the worst
of all outcomes, and that's something that we're working hard
to try to prevent as much as we can.
Speaker 1 (22:57):
Yeah, it's a great point, Stacy, and something Court and
I have also talked about that you're alluding to folks
that if you have this on your record, it stays
with you the rest of your life, and that means
job interviews and everything else, and it could be a
real stinger, especially if you're a young person, and it's
just a horrible thing to happen to go to jail
for something like that and have that follow you through
the legal system. You know, we have several minutes left, Stacy,
(23:18):
and I know that we have to talk about when
it comes to MAD Safe Summer. But also there are
so many ways to get involved in the gift. Can
you go over several of those with us?
Speaker 2 (23:27):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (23:27):
Absolutely so. One of the things that I want to
share with folks is, I know I'm giving a lot
of information. All this information is on our website at
mad madd dot org. A couple of things we would
love to get people sort of first of all, just
educated on the issues and making sure that people are
educated so that you stay stay safe, that you keep
(23:50):
others safe.
Speaker 2 (23:51):
If you're a parent, we have resources.
Speaker 3 (23:53):
On our website at MAD dot org that will help
you be able to have conversations with your children even
as early as middle.
Speaker 2 (23:59):
School through high school, how to talk to your kids.
Speaker 3 (24:03):
So that you have a really honest, upfront conversation about
the dangers of underage drinking, underage drug use, and certainly
avoiding the dangers of impair driving. We also want to
ask people to get really involved with us on the
advocacy side. So, Dennis, I'm glad you raised that earlier
about advocating, So advocacy around getting the Halt bill and
(24:25):
act fully implemented advocacy. To make your voice known to
your member of Congress, or to a member the administration,
or to anyone that will listen, to let them know
how much you care about getting these protective measures included
in cars. It's anti drunk driving technology included in cars.
(24:45):
We want to ask everyone to sign up to be
an advocate, and you can do that at MAD dot
org and you can get talking points and get alert
sent to you about when it might be useful to
have your voice heard by a policymaker or a lawmaker
or someone that is in a position of influence. Also,
we love volunteers, and you can side up a volunteer.
Speaker 2 (25:08):
The last thing we really really need.
Speaker 3 (25:10):
We're a five oh one C three organization or nonprofit organization.
We can always, always, always rely on donations.
Speaker 2 (25:16):
We have so many victims and survivors.
Speaker 3 (25:19):
That's another thing I just we'll mention if you're a
victim or a survivor of an impair driving crash.
Speaker 2 (25:24):
Please reach out to MAD.
Speaker 3 (25:27):
We have served tens of thousands of people over many
years about.
Speaker 2 (25:34):
About the issue of impaer driving and.
Speaker 3 (25:40):
Trying to provide resources to victims and survivors to give
them the support that they need in order to make
sure that they, you know, can get supported through what
is probably a life changing event, maybe even event that's
that's changed their lives.
Speaker 2 (25:57):
So we want to.
Speaker 3 (25:58):
Make sure that if you are a vic' or survivor
of an impair driving crash that you have access to
resources as well. Please visit MAD dot org for that
information as well. And so a lot of what we
have available is to inform the public to help serve
victims and survivors, to make sure that we can have
(26:20):
as much advocacy going on to continue to make progress
on getting.
Speaker 2 (26:26):
Rid of impeer driving. Bringing it to.
Speaker 3 (26:29):
An end for once and for all is really an
ultimate goal, and we need the public's help to make.
Speaker 2 (26:33):
Sure that that happens.
Speaker 1 (26:34):
Outstanding, well, listen to Stacy. We have about two two
and a half minutes left and I just like to
get some final thoughts about maybe either something we haven't
talked about yet or maybe recap everything and we'll give
the website one more time. By the way, whoever designed
the website, it's easy to navigate, folks, it's informational, it's
cool to go around and there really is a lot
of info on there for all the questions you have.
But Stacy, maybe just recapping what we've talked about in
(26:57):
some final thoughts. The floor is yours.
Speaker 3 (26:59):
So first of all, I just want to say thank
you for allowing me to be on the most important
thing is for people that think that drunk and drunk
driving is no longer a problem, I just want to
say it absolutely is. I mean to lose almost thirteen
thousand people every single year, hundreds of thousands of people
to be injured, it still.
Speaker 2 (27:18):
Is happening every single day, every single day. We are
still seeing far too many people being.
Speaker 3 (27:25):
The victims of these totally one hundred percent preventable crimes.
Speaker 2 (27:30):
And it's there's something that we all can do about it.
Speaker 3 (27:34):
The fact that we still have you know, people that
today maybe don't make the best decisions after they have
had had a good time out on the town and
they were maybe struggling with some sort of issues in
their own lives and decide to get behind the wheel
is just simply not acceptable, and there's something that we
(27:56):
can all do about it. So we really want people
to reach out to us at MATT, donate.
Speaker 2 (28:02):
To our cause at MAD dot org.
Speaker 3 (28:04):
Be a volunteer, be an advocate, visit it and more information.
Speaker 2 (28:08):
Spread the word to.
Speaker 3 (28:09):
Your friends and family that it's never okay to drink,
to use drugs and get behind the wheel and drive.
That's the ultimate message, and that's certainly what we can
all do together and keep each other safe.
Speaker 1 (28:21):
And we should mention that there's a twenty four to
seven support line eight seven seven MAD, m ADD Help HLP,
and then also the website and lots of information out
there and lots of good stuff. Stacy. I can't tell
you how much I appreciate your valuable time. It's educational,
it's fun to talk to people like you because you're
doing great work with your team out there. I know
(28:42):
it's hard work, but if it wasn't for people like you,
the statistic would be so much more higher. So we're
also grateful to you your team and MAD and everything
that you guys do. So thank you so much. I'd
love to have you back on the program again, but
thank you so much for joining us on Community DC.
We really appreciate and continue success.
Speaker 2 (28:58):
Thank you so much. Appreciate.
Speaker 4 (29:01):
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cleft into a smile for life. But at smile Train,
we understand that most children.
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They need nourishment to ensure they grow healthy and strong.
They need a confident voice so they can express themselves clearly.
They need emotional support and counseling to help them navigate
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(29:37):
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