MADD SAYS DRUNK DRIVING SCARIEST THING THIS HALLOWEEN

Dallas, October 20, 2008

Designate a Sober Driver before Celebrations Begin

This Halloween, Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) asks everyone to designate a sober driver before the celebrations begin, and to never serve alcohol to those under 21. The Halloween three-day period is a deadly timeframe for drunk driving and could be especially concerning this year since Halloween falls on a Friday. From October 30, 2007 to November 1, 2007, 66 people were killed by a drunk driver with .08 or higher Blood Alcohol Content (BAC), according to data from the National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

"We support enforcement efforts 100 percent in helping protect our children and our roadways this Halloween," said Laura Dean-Mooney, national president of MADD. "We want everyone to have fun but drunk driving or providing alcohol to those under 21 can quickly turn a fun time into a very scary situation."

MADD recommends that everyone designate a sober driver before celebrations begin. Home Safe Card supports safer communities and MADD's mission through its Home Safe Card. This prepaid card can be used to pay any transportation service that accepts Discover® Network Cards. Each time a MADD-affiliated Home Safe Card is sold, a portion of the proceeds are donated to MADD. The Home Safe Card will soon be available nationwide in $25, $50, $75 and $100 denominations. Please visit homesafecard.com for details.

This Halloween, MADD has these tips to help ensure everyone’s safety:

• Designate a sober driver before celebrations begin
• Never serve those under the age of 21 alcohol
• Plan safe parties, including providing non-alcoholic drink options to guests and not serving alcohol the last hour of the party
• Be prepared to get everyone home safe in case your plans or individual circumstances change

Recent National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration (NHTSA) data showed that 1840 youth aged 20 and under were killed in crashes involving a driver at or above the illegal limit of .08 Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) in 2007. Children who find themselves with an adult who is driving drunk should always buckle up, sit in the middle of the backseat of the vehicle, place their belongings on the floor, not distract the driver and let a trusted adult know what happened as soon as they arrive home or at their destination.