Social Policy Decisions: Mothers Against Drunk Driving
Social Policy Decisions Paper
BSHS/355
Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) is a nonprofit organization that was created in the United States and is also being implemented in Canada. This organization was created in 1980 by Candice Lighter, from Fair Oaks California, after her then 13 year old daughter was killed by a drunk driver. This organizations mission is to stop drunk driving as well as provides education about drunk driving, supports victims and their families of drunk driving, and fighting for strict policies. This paper will discuss Why MADD was created; the problem that lead to the creation of MADD; how the problem was identified as a social problem; policies created as a result of MADD’s influence; the problems …show more content…
Driving under the influence has been this country’s most frequent committed crime as there were few laws and weren’t as strict. The problems that lead to the creation of MADD were the many alcohol related accidents that have occurred with minimum punishment. In 1980, 27,000 alcohol-related traffic fatalities occurred in the United States each year, including 2,500 in California alone. The blood alcohol level in the United States was .15 in 1938 but then .10 in the 80’s before MADD and other advocate groups pressured it to be lowered to now .08 in the year 2005. Another issue was that many underage people were drinking alcohol. The drinking age depending on the state was 18 years old but has not been raised to 21 in the …show more content…
First, one of the early laws that were imposed was reducing the blood alcohol level (BAC) from .10 to .08. MADD also promoted the use of the Victim Impact Panel (VIP) in which a judge implements first offenders to listen to victims and/or their families of drunk drivers related their experiences. In 2002, MADD announced their 8 point plan which includes: Resuscitate the nation 's efforts to prevent impaired driving; increase driving while intoxicated (DWI)/driving under the influence (DUI) enforcement, especially the use of frequent, highly publicized sobriety checkpoints; enforce seat belt laws; create tougher, more comprehensive sanctions geared toward higher-risk drivers; develop a dedicated National Traffic Safety Fund; reduce underage drinking; increase beer excise taxes to the same level as those for spirits; reinvigorate court monitoring
BSHS/355
Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) is a nonprofit organization that was created in the United States and is also being implemented in Canada. This organization was created in 1980 by Candice Lighter, from Fair Oaks California, after her then 13 year old daughter was killed by a drunk driver. This organizations mission is to stop drunk driving as well as provides education about drunk driving, supports victims and their families of drunk driving, and fighting for strict policies. This paper will discuss Why MADD was created; the problem that lead to the creation of MADD; how the problem was identified as a social problem; policies created as a result of MADD’s influence; the problems …show more content…
Driving under the influence has been this country’s most frequent committed crime as there were few laws and weren’t as strict. The problems that lead to the creation of MADD were the many alcohol related accidents that have occurred with minimum punishment. In 1980, 27,000 alcohol-related traffic fatalities occurred in the United States each year, including 2,500 in California alone. The blood alcohol level in the United States was .15 in 1938 but then .10 in the 80’s before MADD and other advocate groups pressured it to be lowered to now .08 in the year 2005. Another issue was that many underage people were drinking alcohol. The drinking age depending on the state was 18 years old but has not been raised to 21 in the …show more content…
First, one of the early laws that were imposed was reducing the blood alcohol level (BAC) from .10 to .08. MADD also promoted the use of the Victim Impact Panel (VIP) in which a judge implements first offenders to listen to victims and/or their families of drunk drivers related their experiences. In 2002, MADD announced their 8 point plan which includes: Resuscitate the nation 's efforts to prevent impaired driving; increase driving while intoxicated (DWI)/driving under the influence (DUI) enforcement, especially the use of frequent, highly publicized sobriety checkpoints; enforce seat belt laws; create tougher, more comprehensive sanctions geared toward higher-risk drivers; develop a dedicated National Traffic Safety Fund; reduce underage drinking; increase beer excise taxes to the same level as those for spirits; reinvigorate court monitoring