How You Can Help

          There are several ways that you can help in preventing underage drinking & drinking and driving.

          Number one, NEVER provide alcohol to someone under the age of 21.  I am amazed at the number of parents, older siblings and "friends" who provide alcohol to minors.  Not only are they contributing to the problem, but they also are exposing themselves to a huge legal liability...not to mention what their conscience will have to live with if one of these young people injure or kill themselves or someone else.  (If you think it can't happen, read Kevin's Story.)  There have been documented cases where persons of legal drinking age have held "keg party's" for profit, where underage drinkers are charged an admission fee.  Don't ask me what they are thinking, because obviously they are not.

          Don't drink and drive, period.  The cemeteries are full of people who thought they were "OK to drive," along with the innocent victims whose paths they crossed.

          Support law enforcement.  Don't complain that an officer gave your kid an MIP, DUI or DWI...thank them.  The officer just may have saved your kid's life.

          If you see someone driving who appears to be under the influence of alcohol or drugs, get on your cell phone and call 911.  Help law enforcement get these people off the road before they kill themselves or someone else.

          If there is a coalition in your city or state that is addressing these issues, contact them and get involved.

          Contact your nearest MADD Chapter and volunteer your time, or send them a donation.  MADD is not a bunch of radical mothers supporting prohibition.  They are moms and dads, brothers and sisters and other concerned individuals who respect the right of a  person of legal age to drink alcohol, while at the same time fight for your right to drive on roads that are free of drunk drivers.  They also provide emotional and moral support to victims of drunk drivers, as well as excellent education and prevention programs for schools.  Before you judge who you think MADD is, get to know some of their staff and volunteers, many who are drunk driving victims themselves.  Much of the credit for the reduction in drunk driving fatalities over the years can be attributed to the efforts of MADD, but there is still much to be done when you look at the fact that an average of 44 people die each day in alcohol related crashes.

          A year after Robert's death I had the privilege of attending the annual MADD National Conference and hearing Millie Webb, (their President at the time), speak.  Millie and her husband were rear-ended by a drunk driver in the 1971.  Their car burst into flames.  With them were Millie's 4-year-old daughter (who suffered for two weeks before she died from burns over 75% of her body) and their 19-month-old nephew (who died six hours after the crash.)  Millie, who was seven months pregnant at the time, was burned over 73% of her body.  She was not expected to live.

          Millie did live, and later gave birth to a daughter who was born blind as a result of the crash.  Millie said although the pain of losing a daughter and nephew and enduring 23 excruciating operations were almost unbearable, her most heartbreaking moments were when she tried to describe to her blind daughter what a deer or a rainbow looked like.  I wish every person who gets behind the wheel after drinking alcohol could have heard Millie speak.  People like Millie Webb are who MADD is.  

          The issues of underage drinking & drinking and driving affect us all.  Please consider getting involved in addressing these problems.  Together, we can make a difference.          

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