Today is Mothers Against Drunk Driving National Day of Remembrance, with the national and state MADD office honoring those who were killed, injured or emotionally devastated by drunken or drugged driving and underage drinking.
According to MADD, every day across America, 28 people are killed in drunken driving crashes. That is one person every 52 minutes.
Additionally, every 2 minutes, someone is injured in a drunken driving crash. In 2014, almost 10,000 were killed as a result of drunken driving. Countless victims, survivors, families and loved ones are left to cope with the aftermath of these violent and 100 percent preventable crimes, a MADD spokesman said.
“We will not stand idly by as drunk drivers wreak destruction and heartache on others and remain committed as an organization to continue our goal to create a future of no more victims,” said Christopher Mann, on the Kansas MADD advisory board and MADD national board of directors.
A spokesman asked everyone in Kansas today to take a moment to honor those whose lives were affected by impaired drivers, and to have a discussion with children about the negative consequences alcohol and drugs can have on them, and ask them to have an alternative means of transportation if they have been drinking.
Designate a nondrinking driver before holiday celebrations, buckle up and never ride with an impaired driver, the spokesman said.