Fighting impaired driving saves over 30,000 lives

Mothers Against Drunk Driving
News Release

*************************

Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD Canada) released statistics today showing that efforts made in the fight against impaired driving have saved a total of 30,589 Canadian lives since 1982.

Despite this savings of lives, Transport Canada reports a total of 39,487 alcohol related fatalities on Canadian roads since 1982. Had there been no effort to reduce impaired driving deaths, MADD Canada estimates the number could have been 70,000 in alcohol-related fatalities.

View the full report on MADD Canada's website at: http://www.madd.ca/english/research/lives_saved.pdf

Margaret Miller, National President of MADD Canada says, "We have too many innocent people dying on our roads as a result of impaired driving. This report shows us that our effort in saving lives is making a difference. More than 30,000 people are alive today because MADD Canada and other organizations are relentless in delivering the message: Don't drink and drive."

"Over the last 20 years, drinking and driving has become socially unacceptable," and Mrs. Miller adds, "Canadians have responded to the number of tragedies caused by the selfish act of getting behind the wheel of a vehicle after drinking too much."

Andrew Murie, MADD Canada's CEO, states, "From the Transport Canada figures, we see declines in alcohol-related traffic fatalities in Canada during the past 25 years. Our report delivers a reliable estimate of the total number of lives that have been saved as a result of the fight against impaired driving."

"The report demonstrates progress in the fight," says Mr. Murie. "MADD Canada accepts these numbers as a challenge to redouble our efforts to make further gains in reducing the number of alcohol-related deaths in the future years."

Mr. Murie cites a number of government and public initiatives that are contributing to the reduction in fatalities. "Governments have introduced new laws and new programs like enhanced graduating licencing and zero BAC for under 21, alcohol interlocks, vehicle impoundment and seizure programs. MADD Canada's Campaign 911, that encourages motorists to phone police when they spot an impaired driver, is also helping to remove these dangerous drivers off our roads."

Behind the Numbers

The mathematical formula applied in the report was developed by Dr. James Fell, an internationally-respected traffic safety expert and former Chief of Research and Evaluation for the United States National Highway Traffic Safety Administration – NHTSA.

Given the similarities in Canada and the United States in drinking and driving patterns, collision rates and other relevant variables, MADD Canada adopted Dr. Fell's approach. MADD Canada used Canadian fatality figures reported by Transport Canada to project the number of impaired driving deaths on the country's roads if alcohol-related fatalities had remained at 1982 levels. The difference between that projection and the actual number of fatalities equals the number of lives saved.

*************************