M.A.D.D.
TIE ONE ON FR SAFETY
M.A.D.D. has always been committed to safety, and part of that commitment includes our annual Tie One On For Safety campaign, which encourages holiday drivers to tie a red M.A.D.D. ribbon to a visible location on their vehicles. The ribbon is a symbol of the motorist's pledge to drive safe, sober and buckled up, and it reminds others to do the same. The Tie One On For Safety message calls for a public commitment because drunk driving is still the most frequently committed violent crime in America and seat belts are our best defense in a crash.
The holidays remain a particularly dangerous time for travel. To help make the roadways safer, M.A.D.D. is grateful for the support of Takata, the world's largest seat belt manufacturer and national presenting sponsor, as well as Mazda, the national automotive sponsor, for helping bring Tie One On For Safety to communities nationwide.
THE NUMBERS
In 2003, 1,579 people were killed in alcohol-related crashes between Thanksgiving and New Years -- an increase from 1,561 alcohol-related fatalities in 2002. While nearly 80% of Americans wear seat belts, those who do not put themselves at a much greater risk, accounting for over half of all passenger vehicle fatalities during the holidays.
TAKING ACTION
If all Americans wore their seat belts, we could save over 6,000 lives per year. Unfortunately, many states, including Florida, are weakening seat belt enforcement by not allowing law enforcement to cite people solely for not wearing their seat belt. When states allow "primary seat belt" enforcement, fatalities decrease by an average of eight percent, saving hundreds of lives. Please write your legislators to tell them you want better enforcement of your seat belt laws.