Posted in Drunk Driving on August 29, 2024
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE (August 26, 2024) – The Tennessee affiliate of Mothers Against Drunk Driving® (MADD) has formally partnered with Matt Hardin Law in a joint effort to support victims and survivors of impaired driving crashes and spread awareness to prevent future tragedies.
Rising rates of impaired driving nationwide underscore the critical need for community partnerships intended to raise awareness of the dangers of impaired driving to a broader audience. Our country is in the grips of a public health crisis that has seen drunk driving deaths increase by 14% two years in a row, exceeding 13,000 deaths for the first time since 2007. Every 79 seconds, someone in the U.S. is killed or injured by a drunk driver — and that number does not include the deaths and injuries caused by drivers who were impaired by cannabis or other controlled substances.
According to a Forbes Advisor Report (December 2023), more than a quarter of all traffic deaths in the state of Tennessee are caused by drivers with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08% or higher. This metric, and the grief of families served by MADD every day, demonstrates that this tragedy hits close to home for Tennesseans.
“At Matt Hardin Law, we are passionate about supporting families who have been devastated by the reckless actions of impaired drivers,” said Matt Hardin. “We see firsthand the profound impact these tragedies have on lives, and we are committed to doing everything in our power to help those families rebuild. Partnering with MADD allows us to take that commitment beyond the courtroom, raising awareness and working together to prevent these heartbreaking crashes from happening in the first place.”
In 2024, Mothers Against Drunk Driving officially launched The MADD Network, a first-of-its-kind campaign that aims to unite diverse supporters of MADD who share one vital mission — to eliminate one of the most persistent threats to public safety on our nation’s roads: impaired driving.
The power of The MADD Network comes from each partner — whether a corporation, a foundation, or an individual — using their own platform to help educate their unique community about the dangers of impaired driving, the need for underage drinking and other drug use education/prevention, and legislative efforts that will affect real change.
Each member of the MADD Network must be committed to MADD’s vision and be willing to use the power of their community to work alongside us in the fight to end impaired driving. Each member must also support MADD’s bold goal to decrease impaired driving injuries and fatalities by 20% by 2026.
“We are grateful for Matt Hardin Law, their commitment to supporting victims and survivors of impaired driving crashes and their initiative to become MADD Tennessee’s first MADD Network partner,” said Alex Otte, MADD Regional Executive Director. “As a community, it is all our responsibility to prevent impaired driving. You do not have to be a member of law enforcement, a legislator or a victim with a personal story to be a part of the solution. You must only be committed to making the right choice and ensuring that those around you do, too.”
About Mothers Against Drunk Driving
Mothers Against Drunk Driving® (MADD) is the nonprofit leader in a movement to create a world where there are #NoMoreVictims of impaired driving. By working in collaboration with law enforcement to end underage drinking and all drunk and drugged driving, MADD has helped reduce drunk driving deaths by more than 50%, saving more than 400,000 lives. The organization is a vocal advocate for tougher sentencing, new laws and new technology, including implementation of the HALT Drunk Driving Act. MADD also has provided supportive services to nearly one million victims of drunk and drugged driving at no charge through local victim advocates and its 24-Hour Victim Help Line 1-877-MADDHELP. For more information or to make a donation, visit us at https://madd.org/ and follow MADD on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, LinkedIn, and YouTube.
