Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) along with several safety advocates including the Ohio State Highway Patrol (OSHP) gathered Thursday morning to launch the annual “Tie One on for Safety” campaign with a message to drive safe, sober, and buckled up.
Bob Kent, whose son and two friends were killed by a drunk driver on Christmas day 2004, shared his story as a reminder that driving drunk affects everyone. The Franklin County DUI Task Force also participated in the event to show law enforcement’s support for the campaign.
This is the 22nd year for the holiday ribbon campaign which encourages motorists to tie the MADD ribbon to their vehicles as a pledge to be safe on the roadways. The campaign also reminds drivers to buckle up, because a seatbelt is the best defense against a drunk driver.
The "Tie One On For Safety" is MADD's largest public awareness campaign to heighten awareness about the dangerous consequences of drinking and driving over the holidays,” said Doug Scoles, MADD Mid-Valley executive director.
“We’re pleased to be partnering with the Ohio Department of Public Safety and for The Motorists Insurance Group’s sponsorship. Together, their support and outreach will save lives in Ohio!”
According to ODPS crash statistics, 473 Ohioans were killed in alcohol-related crashes in 2007. Of those crashes, 37 of the fatalities occurred between Thanksgiving and New Years. Of those killed in car crashes in 2007, 482 were not wearing their seatbelts.
Local law enforcement around the state are planning more than 13,000 hours of enforcement this holiday season including 18 sobriety checkpoints and more than 3,000 hours of saturation patrols.
