Fall 09

About Virginia
Fall
2009
Programs
Crackdown
on
Impaired Driving
Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood Kicks Off
Nationwide Enforcement Crackdown on Impaired
Driving
Transportation Secretary, Ray LaHood released a
new study by the National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration (NHTSA) that shows an increasing trend among
women driving
under the influence
of alcohol. The new
analysis is based on
an increase in the
number of alcoholimpaired female
drivers involved in fatal crashes in 2008 compared to
the 2007 statistics.
“Impaired driving is an issue that cuts across all segments of society and, sadly, the number of arrests of
women driving under the influence is on the rise,” said
Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. “This is clearly
a very disturbing trend.”
The Secretary pointed to statistics from the FBI showing that arrests for women driving under the influ-
ence increased by nearly 30 percent (28.8%) over the
10-year period from 1998 to 2007. Over that same
decade, DUI arrests for men decreased by 7.5 percent,
although the total number of men arrested during the
period outstripped women by about four to one.
The NHTSA study confirmed the FBI statistics showing that impaired
driving by women is
becoming a national
safety issue. According to the NHTSA
analysis, the number
of impaired women
drivers involved in
fatal crashes increased in 10 states, and remained flat
in five states-despite an overall decline of 9 percent
in all drunk driver crashes in 2008 from 2007. Overall, about 2,000 fatalities a year involve an impaired
female driver.
To view the NHTSA report, go to: http://www.nhtsa.
gov/staticfiles/DOT/NHTSA/reports/811095.pdf.
For more information:
http://www.stopimpaireddriving.org/
In This Issue...
Tie One On For Safety........................ Victim Impact Panels.......................... Victim Services.................................... Pledge to Eliminate Drunk Driving.... Checkpoint Strikeforce........................ Court Monitoring................................ Page 2
Page 3
Page 4
Page 5
Page 6
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MADD VA/DC Partnership
During November
and December, spirits
are high, celebrations
abound and travel
increases on America’s
roadways. Unfortunately, drunk driving is
usually on the rise as
well. In Virginia alone,
in November and December 2008, there were 1874
alcohol related crashes resulting in 51 fatalities and
1267 injuries. That’s why MADD conducts Tie One
On for Safety, our popular public awareness campaign,
each year during the winter holiday season. This Year
MADD VA/DC and State Farm Insurance are partners
in a campaign Kick off at universities in major markets across Virginia, including Howard University in
Washington DC, The University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Virginia State University in Petersburg and
Norfolk State University in Tidewater.
MADD created Tie One On For Safety – originally
named the ‘Project Red Ribbon’ campaign – in 1986
to help heighten public awareness about drinking and
driving during the holiday season. The program was
designed to encourage the public to take action against
drunk driving by tying a MADD ribbon to their
vehicle’s antenna or side mirror as a pledge to drive
safe, sober and buckled up during the holidays and
throughout the year. Our message includes safety belts
because they’re the best defense in a crash. Activities
with
State Farm Insurance
to support the campaign are organized by a majority of
MADD’s 400 offices across the country.
Tie One On For Safety Goals:
• Recruit the public to tie a MADD red ribbon to
their vehicles or display a window decal as a
pledge to drive safe, sober and buckled up and to
support MADD’s Campaign to Eliminate Drunk
Driving.
• Increase awareness about drunk driving during
the holiday season
• Offer suggestions to deter drunk driving through
MADD’s safe party tips and the promotion of
designate a sober driver programs.
• Increase MADD’s identity with the MADD ribbon and its symbolic meaning to prevent drunk
driving and help save lives.
Together, we distribute more than 6 million ribbons
and ribbon symbols each year. Call the MADD VA /
DC office if you would like to participate!
Members of the Bristol Virginia Chapter of MADD
participated in the Food City Family Race Night
Event on August 20, 2009. Held in conjunction with
races at Bristol Motor Speedway, Family Race Nights
are an opportunity for the community to meet drivers, get autographs, see show cars, and enjoy free
food and entertainment. Chapter members gave out
red ribbons and chatted with thousands of people who
attended. Chapter members pictured from left: Lisa
Hartman, Gloria Slagle, Nicole Slagle, Rosalie Smith
and Jessica Hartman.
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Victim Impact Panels
MADD VA continues a successful partnership with
Court Services Programs and Alcohol Safety Action
Programs (ASAP’s) across Virginia by providing
Victim Impact Panels for offenders who have been
referred by the courts as part of sentencing on DUI
charges. Some participating localities are listed below.
MADD volunteers also speak at Victim Impact Panel’s
in Rappahannock, Culpeper, Fauquier, Madison,
Orange, Fredericksburg, Newport News, Amherst, Appomattox, Bedford, Campbell, and Lynchburg.
ASAP Program and Localities Served
Alexandria ASAP:
City of Alexandria
Bull Run ASAP:
Counties of Prince William and Loudoun;
Cities of Manassas and Manassas Park;
Towns of Dumfries, Haymarket, Leesburg,
Middleburg, Occoquan, Purcellville, and
Quantico
Capital Area ASAP:
Counties of Goochland and Hanover; Cities
of Richmond and Ashland
Chesapeake ASAP:
Counties of Accomack and Northampton;
Cities of Virginia Beach, Norfolk
# offenders attended -2008
256
464
1200
5900
and
Southeastern ASAP:
Counties of Isle of Wright and Southampton;
Cities of: Chesapeake, Franklin, Portsmouth,
and Suffolk; Town of Smithfield
Fairfax County ASAP:
Fairfax County, Fairfax City, Towns of Vienna and Herndon
John Tyler ASAP:
Counties of Chesterfield, Dinwiddie, Greensville, Henrico, Powhatan, Prince George,
Surry and Sussex; Cities of Colonial Heights,
Emporia, Hopewell, and Petersburg
Office of Adult Services:
Fauquier County
Peninsula ASAP:
Counties of Charles City, James City, and
York and Cities of Hampton, Newport News,
Poquoson, and Williamsburg
195
520
273
373
If victims are not allowed to participate in the criminal justice system, and many are not because they
did not witness the crime or were too injured to make
credible witnesses, their sense of powerlessness can
be enhanced. The most important determinant of
anxiety and depression in family survivors of homicide victims is their satisfaction with treatment by the
legal system. They can become disillusioned with the
criminal justice system when they realize they are not
needed or wanted in the criminal process.
By serving on a Victim Impact Panel, MADD believes that victims:
• find that telling their stories lightens their personal pain, which promotes their own healing
process;
• experience something positive from a previously
devastating event;
• believe that through telling their stories they
may prevent some other family from suffering a
similar victimization.
Many panelists report that while it is emotionally
draining for them to re-live the details of the tragedy, they are strengthened each time they retell their
stories. Some have said that participating on a panel
helped them move from depression about the past to
hope about the present and the future, and to begin to
take charge of their lives again.
“At the end of our presentations, many offenders
come up to shake our hands, apologize for what
they did, or just hug us and cry. We have even had
standing ovations - which I will never understand.
Not everyone reacts that way, but most are affected. I know we are having a strong impact on these
offenders. I believe our work will stop other mothers from losing their children. That alone makes it
worthwhile.”
Shirley Anderson, whose son Mark was killed
by a impaired driver
For more information about Victim Impact Panels,
please visit: http://www.nhtsa.gov/people/injury/alcohol/VIP/VIP_app11.html. If you have been involved
in a drunk driving crash, or lost a loved one in a drunk
driving crash, and would like to volunteer to share
your story, contact Cristi Cousins at MADD VA/DC
804-353-7121.
Page 3
MADD Victim Services
In 2008 MADD served 55,092 victims/ survivors, this is a 10% increase from 2007
• 53% are Bereaved
• 30% are Injured
• 9% are Bereaved and Injured
MADD Victim Services
If you or a loved one has been affected by a drunk driving crash, MADD is here to help. We have more than
1,400 trained victim advocates nationwide that provide bereaved families and injured victims with:
• Emotional support
• Resources to help cope with the complex legal, medical and financial ramifications of a crash
• Assistance navigating the criminal and civil justice systems
• We have wide selection of brochures for crash victims, available in English and Spanish, covering grief
and healing, talking to children and teens about death, coping with serious injury, the criminal and civil
court system and many more. We also offer MADDvocate magazine, which provides in depth articles,
news, resources and other information specifically for drunk driving victims/survivors.
Our services are free and available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. MADD helps survivors survive. Here’s
how you can start receiving support today:
Call
To be put in touch with a MADD Victim Advocate in your area or if you need to speak with someone immediately, call MADD’s Victim/Survivor Helpline at 1-877-MADD-HELP (877-623-3435)
E-mail
Send us an e-mail at Victims@MADD.org and we will respond as soon as possible.
MADD Victim Services
Now reaching out to victims on Twitter.
Sign up at: http://twitter.com/MADDServices
New Ways
to
Support MADD Online
The Food Lion Shop and Share Program.
The Food Lion Shop and Share program is a great way to support local communities. It is easy to register your
MVP card online and help MADD VA-DC support its mission. Just go to www.foodlion.com, and look for
the LionShop & Share icon, located on the left side of the web page under “My Food Lion.” Register your
MVP card at the top and be sure to choose the MADD Virginia/ District of Columbia office which is located in
Richmond, VA as your organization to support. Every time you use your MVP card we’ll get a portion of your
purchase!! It’s a quick and easy way to help!
Online Giving at MADD.org.
You can make a secure online gift using your credit card. Your generous gift will go a long way, enabling
MADD to continue the fight against drunk driving and eventually to eliminate this wholly preventable violent
crime.
Page 4
The Pledge
to
Eliminate Drunk Driving
Every year, nearly 13,000 people are killed by drunk drivers with an illegal alcohol level of .08 BAC or above.
That means that every month more than 1,000 families must live with the tragic consequences of drunk driving. Since MADD was founded in 1980, alcohol-related fatalities have declined by more than 40 percent, but
progress has stalled in recent years. That is why MADD launched a major offensive in the war against drunk
driving, the Campaign to Eliminate Drunk Driving. Through the four elements below, the Campaign makes the
idea of eliminating one of the United States primary health threats a real possibility. Together we can take the
fight against drunk driving to a new and unprecedented level. Join the thousands of people nationwide who have
signed the Pledge.
By joining the Campaign to Eliminate Drunk Driving, I pledge full support of:
• Increased DUI enforcement including twice-yearly crackdowns during major holidays and enforcement efforts such as sobriety checkpoints and saturation patrols in all 50 states.
• Use of alcohol ignition interlock technologies to reduce repeat offenses working towards mandatory
ignition interlocks for all convicted drunk drivers.
• Exploration and development of advanced vehicle-based technology devices to detect if a driver has
an illegal alcohol level and to prevent that driver from operating the vehicle.
• Public support from you and other concerned citizens nationwide led by MADD, its affiliates and
members.
Sign the Pledge to eliminate Drunk Driving by visiting www.madd.org
Specials Thanks
to
Our Supporters
and
Volunteers
We’d like to thank the supporters and volunteers of our 2009 events
WALK LIKE MADD and the MADD Poker Run:
Haley Pontiac GMC
University of Richmond
WRIC-Ch.8, Cox Radio
Allen, Allen, Allen and Allen
Enterprise Rent a Car
AAA Mid Atlantic
Varina Barber Shop
Southside Fuel
BowTie Cinema’s
Kings Dominion
Back in Action
Starbucks
VA-Go Inc. of Richmond
Fast Signs
Goodwill Industries
Qdoba
Ukrops
Bennett Willis Photography
Wintergreen
Heith’s Ice Cream
Bennett Funeral Home
Commonwealth Powersports
Food Lion
Volunteers
Page 5
Checkpoint Strikeforce Kickoff
Checkpoint Strikeforce is
• An intensive law enforcement
mobilization to get impaired
drivers off our roads.
• Stopping over 400,000 drivers
last year at sobriety checkpoints and saturation patrols
in the multi-state area of Delaware, The District of Columbia,
Kentucky, Maryland, North
Carolina, Virginia and West
Virginia.
• Using checkpoints and patrols
when and where drunk driving
is most likely to occur.
• Combining high visibility
checkpoints and paid advertising to create awareness of
enforcement and educate the
public about dangers and consequences.
Checkpoint Strikeforce is a
research-based, multi-state, zerotolerance initiative designed to
• get impaired drivers off our
roads using checkpoints and
patrols when and where drunk
driving is most likely to occur
and,
• to educate the public about dangers and consequences of drunk
driving.
The premise behind this program
is simple, there will be sobriety
checkpoints, every week, every
where - in each participating state so you never know when or where
you may encounter
one.
The program began
in 2002 as a sixmonth initiative but
due to its success,
was expanded to a
year-round effort in
2005. The year-long
program is comprised
of six months of
intense enforcement
(At least 1 checkpoint per week
from July through December) and
six months sustained (At least 1
checkpoint per month from January
through June). The checkpoints can
be multi-agency, cross-jurisdictional, low-manpower, conducted
in
Virginia
during happy hour, or any other
innovative type. Every checkpoint
should be highly publicized and
visible and ideally supplemented
with saturation patrols.
For more information go to www.
checkpointstrikeforce.net/
Carter Hill MADD VA/DC State
Advisory Council Chair, joined
the Virginia Attorney General, the
Commissioner of DMV and State
and local law enforcement officials
at the
Court Monitoring
Dedicated MADD volunteers serve
as Court Monitors in many jurisdictions in Virginia. Volunteers
are trained in legal procedures to
observe and note the outcomes
of DUI/DWI court proceedings,
including arraignments, pre-trial
hearings, trials and sentencing cases. The Court Monitoring Program
has three goals: To compile pertinent information on how DUI/DWI
court cases are handled across the
nation, to identify potential gaps in
the prosecution and adjudication
process, and to use collected data
Page 6
to help improve the legal system.
The program also focuses on forming strong strategic alliances with
law enforcement, judges, prosecutors and the defense bar, including
public defenders.
The Court Monitoring program
has expanded in the Tidewater area
to include students from the Virginia Beach Campus of Tidewater
Community College. Students in
a class in the Administration of
Justice tract are offered learning
opportunities from the spectrum of
DUI convictions in Virginia. They
receive 4 credits for 80 hours of
Court Monitoring and 5 hours of
either riding along with the police
or attending Victim Impact Panels
held in cooperation with local Alcohol Safety Action Programs.
Kaye Walsh, MADD VA State
Vice-Chair and coordinator of
the Court Monitoring program in
Tidewater says the sutudens not
only learn about the devastating
consequences of DUI... they also
tell their friends.
MADD
MADD Virginia and
District of Columbia Office
5310 Markel Road., Suite 101
Richmond, VA 23230
Phone: (804) 353-7121
Toll Free: 1-800-533-MADD
Fax: (804) 353-7122
E-mail: DC.VA@madd.org
Web site: www.maddva.org
Join MADD today
V i r g i n i a
and make a difference tomorrow.
Community Action Sites
no membership fee
Blue Ridge CAS
(Amherst, Campbell Counties;
Lynchburg City)
Bristol CAS
(Bristol City and Washington County)
Central Virginia CAS
(Albemarle, Augusta, Buckingham,
Fluvanna, Greene, Louisa, Madison,
Nelson, Orange counties; Charlottesville, Staunton, Waynesboro cities)
State Office Staff
Executive Director
Chris R. Konschak
Administrative &
Technology Asst.
M. “Abby” Amalbert
Membership and
Volunteer Application
MADD is an organization of victims, survivors, and concerned citizens determined
to reduce deaths and injuries resulting from
driving under the influence. As a participant,
you will be entitled to any and all of the
services MADD has to offer including newsletters, magazines, and updates on current
legislation and drunk driving information.
Loudoun County CAS
(Loudoun County)
Program Specialist
Cristi Cousins
Peninsula CAS
(York County and Hampton, Newport
News, Poquoson, Williamsburg cities)
Development Officer
Ashley D. Langford
Clerical Office Assistants
Barbara Dickerson
Nancy Foster
Affiliate Office
Northern Virginia Chapter
(Arlington, Fairfax, Fauquier,
Prince William counties;
Alexandria, Fairfax, Falls Church,
Manassas, Manassas Park)
P. O. Box 4248
Falls Church, VA 22044
Phone: (703) 379-1135
Fax: (703) 379-1930
E-mail:
NorthernVirginia.VA@madd.org
MADD About Virginia is distributed
free of charge to MADD members, donors, volunteers, and others interested in
MADD’s mission.
Richmond Area CAS
(Chesterfield, Dinwiddie, Goochland,
Hanover, Henrico, Powhatan, Prince
George counties; Colonial Heights,
Hopewell, Petersburg, Richmond cities)
Shenandoah Valley CAS
(Clarke, Frederick, Page,
Rappahannock, Shenandoah,
Warren Counties, Front Royal
and Winchester cities)
Smith Mtn. Lake CAS
(Bedford, Botetourt, Franklin,
Montgomery, Roanoke counties)
Southside CAS
(Chesapeake, Norfolk,
Porstmouth, Suffolk, Virginia
Beach)
For information about the above areas or
for areas not covered by the above, please
contact the State Office.
MADD National
511 E. John Carpenter Fwy., Suite 700
Irving, TX 75062
Toll Free: 1-800-438-6233
Victim Services: 1-877-MADD-HELP
Web site: www.madd.org
Your Information
Name_____________________________
______________________________
Address___________________________
______________________________
City______________________________
State_______Zip_____________
Home phone________________________
E-mail ____________________________
______________________________
I
am a victim/survivor of drunk driving
I
prefer not to receive MADD newsletters
Make a contribution*
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__Check__Visa___MC__Discover__AMEX
Card#:______________________________
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Exp. Date_________________________
Signature:_________________________
*Financial contributions to MADD are tax deductible.
Page 7
MADD Virginia State
5310 Markel Road., Suite 101
Richmond, VA 23230
Non-Profit Org.
U.S. Postage
PAID
Richmond, VA
Permit #2358
MADD’s Mission
To stop drunk driving, support the victims of this violent crime and prevent underage drinking.
Save the date
Walk Like MADD
Woodbridge - September 26, 2009
tidewater - April 2010
Richmond - may 2010
Bristol - June 2010
For more information please
contact Ashley at
1-800-533-6233 w 804-353-7121
or register
at www.walklikemadd.org