MADD call to action: End sobering year with a sober ride home
by Brooke Schwieters
December 30, 2020
CHARLESTON COUNTY, S.C. (WCIV) — The year 2020 has been sobering at times, which is why Mothers Against Drunk Driving wants you to ring in 2021 with a sober ride home.
“Unfortunately, we know the holiday season, which extends into the new year time period, is a higher risk for crashes and, unfortunately, we also know that we’ll probably get more calls from new families who have been impacted,” explained Steven Burritt, Executive Dir. of Mothers Against Drunk Driving’s South Carolina State Office.
And in the Palmetto State, the statistics speak for themselves.
According to responsibility.org, there were 291 alcohol-impaired driving fatalities in 2018.
Last year, there were 286, according to MADD.
As the 23rd most populous state in the U.S., South Carolina ranks 10th highest in DUI-related fatalities.
“Those numbers just don’t line up,” said Burritt. “South Carolina really has some things we need to work on.”
Year round, MADD continues efforts to ramp up U.S. legislation to prevent DUIs, but just ahead of New Year’s Eve, they stress it’s on the public to plan ahead and make good decisions.
“We call this time of year the ‘tie one on for safety season,’ where we encourage people to really be conscious about either being a designated driver or using one if your plans are going to involve alcohol,” said Burritt. “Putting a red ribbon on your car or key chain as just a visible way of saying I’m conscious about this decision.”
Burritt says rideshares like Uber and Lyft have become a gamechanger for providing safe rides home, but adds designated drivers will never go out of style.