Mothers Against Drunk
Driving (MADD) and National Highway Traffic
Safety Administration have announced 2010 data showing that
more than 400 of 10,228 drunk driving fatalities occurred in the second half of
December. MADD reports that high-visibility law enforcement tactics (e.g.,
sobriety checkpoints, saturation patrols) conducted around holidays and
throughout the year remain among the most effective tools to catch and deter
drunk drivers. The group says that, when publicized, increased enforcement
reduces drunk driving fatalities by up to 20%.
“Increased enforcement efforts around the holidays are a
vital part of MADD's Campaign to Eliminate Drunk Driving, which relies on
proven drunk driving countermeasures to eliminate the leading cause of highway
fatalities,” says Jan Withers, MADD National President. Marking the fifth
anniversary of its Campaign to Eliminate Drunk Driving, MADD released its “Report to the Nation” that
rates states on their progress toward eliminating drunk driving. States earn a
maximum of five stars based on their adoption of proven DUI countermeasures,
including increased holiday enforcement tactics such as sobriety checkpoints
and no-refusal activities.