• One in eight U.S. adults admits to having driven under the influence of marijuana.
• 76% of the American public believe incidents of driving after consuming marijuana will increase.
• 27% recall a friend or family member driving within two hours of consuming alcohol sometime during the past three months.
• 26% think that driving after recent consumption of marijuana is “not too concerning” or “not at all concerning.”
• 31% of parents and grandparents report discussing the consequences of driving under the influence of alcohol “often." While 43% of parents and grandparents surveyed reported “never” broaching the subject of driving high with the next generation.
• There is uncertainty whether it is legal to drive impaired by marijuana:
  • 40% view this as a serious crime,
  • 27% say it is only a minor traffic offense,
  • 4% think it is legal, and 27% are unsure.
  • 41% are unsure or incorrectly believe that people who regularly use marijuana are generally not impaired, making it safe to drive.

The cannabis survey was funded by State Farm^® and General Motors. It measured the American public’s attitudes and knowledge about the impact of marijuana on traffic safety. The report's publication coincides with the 40th Anniversary of MADD's founding on Sept. 5.

Every October, as part of the Power of You(th)^® program, MADD joins its partners around the country to host school and community events to empower teens to make safe choices. This year’s focus, #ProtectUrFuture, is about how choices about alcohol can impact their future such as, being kicked off a sports team, not be able to attend the college of their choice or lose a college sponsorship and have an arrest on their record. Tragically there are also life-altering consequences such as alcohol poisoning and teen drunk driving.

“The decisions teens make today can impact their lives tomorrow and for years to come,” said MADD National President Colleen Sheehey-Church, whose 18-year-old son Dustin was killed as a passenger in a crash caused by a teen drunk and drugged driver. “There is an urgent need in our country to address the underage drinking epidemic that causes 4,300 deaths a year, I am grateful to State Farm for helping us save young lives.”

The latest research shows:

• The number of youth drinking alcohol continue to decline since 1991, when the numbers peaked. These have declined by 70 percent, 50 percent and 30 percent for grades 8, 10 and 12. However, six out of every ten students (61 percent) have consumed alcohol (more than a few sips) by the end of high school, and 23 percent have done so by 8^th grade. Monitoring the Future, 2016
• Alcohol was a factor in an average of 492 suicides, 1,269 homicides, 245 reports of death from alcohol poisoning, falls, burns or drowning, and 1,580 deaths from motor vehicle crashes of people under the age of 21 each year from 2006 to 2010. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 2013
• In 2011, 188,000 people under the age of 21 visited an emergency room because of alcohol related injuries. SAMHSA, 2014
• Research also shows that the earlier a young person begins drinking alcohol the more likely they will become alcohol dependent as adults. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2015
• Kids who start drinking young are seven times more likely to be in an alcohol related crash. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 2001

“While we are heartened to see the decline in underage drinking across the nation, it also motivates us to do more,” said Lisa Joyce, State Farm Public Affairs. “We are proud of our support of MADD’s Power of You(th) to educate and protect teens and their futures, so they can fulfill all of their hopes and dreams.”

MADD’s Power of You(th) program equips teens to resist peer pressure and influence their peers to make smart, healthy decisions about not drinking alcohol before they turn 21 and to never getting in the car with anyone who has been drinking. At school events, victims share personal stories, students receive a teen booklet with real-life stories, and learn about powerofyouth.com as an important resource.

In a recent State Farm survey, one in five respondents indicated they had consumed alcohol and drove a car in the last year. Further, 94% of consumers surveyed believe the drunk driving problem has not yet been solved.

According to Mothers Against Drunk Driving® (MADD), two out of three people will be affected by drunk driving in their lifetime. The U.S. economic toll for deaths and injuries from such crashes is $52 billion annually¹. These costs, combined with the costs of other crashes, impact consumers who pay insurance premiums.

State Farm is determined to address this issue through its long-time support of MADD. As the presenting sponsor of its Power of You(th)® program, State Farm is committed to helping teens and young adults understand the importance of staying safe and sober behind the wheel. The Power of You(th) program works to prevent underage drinking while educating teens to never ride with someone who is under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

Together with MADD, State Farm is encouraging students to take a stand against drunk driving by sharing positive messages with their peers, engaging their high schools in the conversation and motivating students to inspire healthy behaviors within their communities.

Parents:  Want to talk to your teen about alcohol? Visit the Power of YOU(th) website for the downloadable booklet You have the POWER to take a stand. This online resource, with statistics and true stories, can foster positive conversations with your son or daughter about destructive driving and ways to stay safe behind the wheel. It’s also available in Spanish.

Help the fight against drunk driving with these tips:

• Choose a non-drinking designated driver if you will be consuming alcohol.
• Ask for a ride. There are many alternatives to help you get home safely.
• Be careful on the road. Pull over and report drivers you suspect to be under the influence by calling 911.
• Protect others by taking their keys if they attempt to drive after consuming alcohol. They may be mad at you, but the alternative could be much worse.

https://www.nhtsa.gov/risky-driving/drunk-driving¹

Hover over the interactive image below to learn how you can help prevent drunk driving.

Choosing to not drink and drive can be the difference between life and death.

Meet Olivia: The Little Girl with a Lesson to Remember. Never Drink and Drive.

“Just like that … she’s gone.”- Jodie Cleveland

The Clevelands are working hard to promote safe driving in memory of their daughter, Olivia. At the age of 3, Olivia was killed in a crash involving a drunk driver. Her father, John Cleveland, speaks to groups of all ages, encouraging them to:

• Make safe choices behind the wheel.
• Never be the person who causes a family to experience such pain and loss.
• Remember Olivia’s story when confronted with the decision to drink and drive.

It’s 2:30 a.m., and the doorbell rings. Lori Stutts answers the door, knowing deep down it can’t be good news.

The deputy coroner is at the door. She tells Lori the worst news imaginable. Her son, Zach Maurer, 22, had died.

She tells her it was a single vehicle crash that happened late the night before. Airlifted to the local hospital, they tried everything, but they couldn’t save Zach.

September 20, 2005, is a day Lori will never forget.

Facts: Zach’s blood alcohol level was .165, close to three times over the legal limit in Colorado, which is .06. He was not wearing his seat belt. He was traveling between 75-85 MPH, entering a curve with a speed limit of 30 MPH.

“When something bad happens you have choices—let it define you, let it destroy you, or you can let it strengthen you; be a victim or a victor,” she shares.

Lori chose the latter—be a victor and let the tragic loss of her only child strengthen her.

“After Zach's death, it would have been easy to just lay down and give up. But soon after the crash, I knew I had to live and share the story with the goal of telling others to think about the choices they make before getting behind the wheel," Lori explained.

She reached out to a local safety coalition, Drive Smart Weld County, which is supported by State Farm, to get involved in their teen driver safety program. Since 2006, Lori has served as one of the program’s most impactful volunteer speakers.

She chose to share her experience to teach others. She speaks to local teenagers about their choices before getting behind the wheel.

Lori uses her platform to tell teen audiences, “You are special and loved, you matter to this world; AND your choices affect everyone around you.”

Lori donated Zach’s car to the safety coalition. It was mounted onto a trailer with a storyboard. Over the years, she has traveled to schools throughout Weld County (3,900 square miles). At times, towing his car, to tell the story to students, teachers and parents.

Lori’s survival strength is evident in the delivery of her message. Students sit silently, listening and viewing pictures of Zach before the crash, news clips and the car after the crash.

Afterward, as students file out of the room, many stop to give her comforting hugs.  Lori will never know how many lives she has saved or changed because of her son’s story. However, if just one teen’s mind was changed, she knows the years of sharing her message of love, strength and choices, was worth it.

10,000 lives lost. 10,000 families torn apart. In 2014, nearly 10,000 people lost their lives due to drinking and driving crashes, accounting for one-third of all U.S motor vehicle fatalities. (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration)

One instant is all it took

It was May 11, 1996. She was 22 years old, working as a pre-school teacher and part-time model with the goal of becoming a cosmetologist.

Phaedra Marriott-Olsen was driving friends home from a concert in Missouri. A drunk driver, a high school principal, crossed the center line and collided with her car.

She spent more than five weeks on life support. Three of those weeks she was in a medically induced coma. Surgeons were able to save her life, but she ended up with paralysis and will spend the rest of her life in a wheelchair.

“In the beginning I was in complete denial,” Phaedra recalled. “I thought I’d be able to get up and walk again.”

While still in the hospital, she started speaking with students about the dangers of drunk driving through an organization called “ThinkFirst Missouri!”

A year after the crash, she volunteered for Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), helping to lower the DUI level in Missouri. Phaedra eventually became a MADD employee.

In 2012 Phaedra moved to Tennessee and joined the local MADD. Her assignment was to create an Underage Drinking Prevention Program.

She contacted schools asking for opportunities to speak. Students loved her humorous presentation and were intrigued by her story.

In 2014 alone, she and a small group of dedicated volunteers spoke to nearly 21,000 students – more than any other state in the country. That’s one student every 17 minutes.

She has endured 21 surgeries, but that hasn’t stopped her from what has become her life-mission. And for her extraordinary efforts, she was awarded the 2015 Micky Sadoff Award – Underage Drinking Prevention from MADD National.

“People say you’re so lucky you’re alive, but some days they don’t realize how hard it is” says Phaedra. “Hopefully I can help show people that drinking and driving crashes are 100 percent preventable and there would be fewer families that would know this pain.”

She’ll never forget that phone call

Gwen Edwards knows firsthand the devastating impact drunk driving can have on families. Her son, Louis Jarrod Edwards, was killed November 17, 2010, just eight days after he turned 22.

He was riding in a car in Dallas County, TX with a drunk driver whose blood alcohol level was almost twice the legal limit. The offender was sentenced to 180 days in county jail plus 10 years’ probation.

“No pain compares to the pain of losing a child. Every single day, you relive losing that child,” Gwen said.

Gwen has joined forces with MADD North Texas to share her story with the hope that by telling her story, no one will have to go through what she and her family has gone through.

She speaks to victim advocates, law enforcement officers, and others during National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, attends candlelight vigils, and more. She forms Walk teams for 5K Walks in Dallas County and raises money to support MADD’s efforts.

“It’s important to me to be involved with MADD because I want to keep my son’s memory alive,” said Edwards. “This is a great way of bringing awareness to the issue of drunk driving.”

These crashes were 100% preventable

All drinking and driving crashes are 100% preventable. New Year’s Day is the most dangerous day of the year for drunk driving (Mothers Against Drunk Driving).

Remember Phaedra and Gwen and Louis and be safe this New Year’s Day and every day after.

In 2009, a beloved, Northern California mother was a victim of drunk driving, leaving many people devastated. However, over the years, the dedicated volunteer work of the daughter she left behind, has saved many lives.

On April 22^nd, Kate Swanson’s 63-year old mother, Mona Swanson-Norman, was killed. A truck, heading down the highway in the wrong direction with its headlights off, struck Mona’s car head on. The collision killed Kate’s mother instantly. The driver of the truck was high on meth and had a blood alcohol level twice the legal limit.

“More than 600 people showed up to her memorial service,” Kate recalls. “Nobody can imagine how far something like this reaches.”

The ripple effect of a tragic crash reaches far and wide.

About a year after the crash, struggling to cope with the loss of her mother, Kate realized she needed to be around people that understood what she was going through. Kate found Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD).

The sense of loss will always be painful for Kate and her family. “The holiday season, in particular, has been hard,” shared Kate.

With time, the pain has become less extreme. Kate has learned to manage her grief, in part, by channeling her energy into volunteering regularly with MADD.

Every year, she shares her story with thousands of teens and hundreds of DUI offenders hoping to stop future tragedies and save lives. Kate strongly believes in MADD’s education programs and feels honored to play an integral part in its awareness efforts.

When Kate’s step-father delivered the terrible news about her mother’s death, all Kate could think was, “there is no way this is happening to me. This only happens to other people.”

In dealing with her loss and finding solace in her work with MADD, Kate has come to realize she probably has one thing in common with the driver of the crash, she says “he probably didn’t think this was ever going to happen to him either.”

Kate’s story is a tragic example of the consequences of drunk driving. She is quick, to remind us, however, that it is fine to have some fun once in a while.

“I’m not here to tell people not to drink,” she said. “Go have some fun but, just be responsible. Be thoughtful and think ahead about how you plan to get around because drinking and driving just is not worth it.”

According to MADD, New Year’s Day is the deadliest day of the year for drunk driving deaths. Additionally, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) data shows more than 10,000 people died in 2013 in crashes involving a drunk driver, that’s roughly one death every 52 minutes.

This New Year’s Eve, State Farm reminds all drivers to be safe and take these simple steps to help prevent drinking and driving.

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