• How It All Started
• MADD Central Texas Chapter History
• CTC Board Officers
• Accomplishments in: Select a Year 1980 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999

How it all started.


In 1979, five-and-a-half-month-old Laura Lamb became one of the world's youngest quadriplegics when Laura and her mother, Cindi, were hit head-on by a repeat drunk driving offender traveling at 120 mph. As a result of the crash, Cindi and her friends waged a war against drunk driving in their home state of Maryland. Less than a year later, on the other side of the country in California, 13-year-old Cari Lightner was killed at the hands of a drunk driver. Two days prior, the offender was released on bail for a hit-and-run drunk driving crash. He already had two drunk driving convictions with a third plea-bargained to "reckless accident." At the time of Cari's death, the drunk driving offender was carrying a valid California driver's license.
Enraged, Cari's mother, Candace Lightner, and friends gathered at a steak house in Sacramento. They discussed forming a group named "MADD-Mothers Against Drunk Drivers." Thus, MADD was born with a name that would sweep the nation. Lightner and Lamb joined forces and by the end of 1981, MADD had 11 chapters in four states.

MADD, CENTRAL TEXAS CHAPTER HISTORY

After Mothers Against Drunk Driving was formed in 1980, small grassroots Chapters began to form across the nation. Drunk driving victims, turn volunteers with a cause started trying to make a difference in their communities. Around 1982, a hand full of victims and volunteer Reita Hill started the Bell County Chapter. A small grant of $2,500 was given awarded to the Chapter by the Greater Fort Hood area United Way. After five years, the Chapter brought on its first employee, Ms. Hill, and from there the Chapter began to slowly grow. A small office was set up in Harker Heights for her to work out of.
At the same time, three victims in Waco began to evolve their own chapter. It was a slow, hard process but in time both chapter began to come in their own. However, in the mid-90’s the two Chapters decided to add strength to Central Texas by merging as one, and became the Central Texas Chapter, which we are today. The Chapter covers thirteen counties: Bell, Bosque, Coryell, Falls, Freestone, Hamilton, Hill, Lampasas, Limestone, McLennan, Milam, Mills, and San Saba. This merger helped the area Chapter grow financially, which allowed hundreds more people to be served. The volunteer base grew as well, and ultimately many more victims of drunk driving were able to receive the loving care of MADD victim advocates.

The Central Texas area was in great need of more victim services though, and drunk driving statistics were too high to be ignored. So the one employee started applying for grants to bring in additional help. A part-time employee was brought on board in 1995 to work out of Waco in a small, one room office. By 1998, the part-time funding became full-time funding, and for the first time the chapter was able to have two fully trained victim advocates.

Since then, many grants have come and gone, but the chapter is stronger than ever with two large offices in Waco and Killeen. There are two full-time victim advocates, an executive director, and a part-time community outreach coordinator. Membership is around 1,000 currently. There is a very active board of directors, and two advisory boards to cover the region. Hundreds of presentations are conducted yearly at schools, organizations, and at Ft. Hood. D.W.I. victims are being serviced in all thirteen counties, and strong partnerships have been developed between many law enforcement agencies, district attorney’s offices, and area businesses. While we are proud of how far our Chapter has gone, our vision for Central Texas is even stronger, because it is our goal to someday have a community free from drunk driving and that no one will have to be victims of drunk driving again.

What MADD has accomplished.

1980
• Mothers Against Drunk Drivers is established in California. The first two Chapters of MADD are created in California and Maryland.


1982
• MADD grows to 100 chapters by year-end.

1983
• President Reagan announces a Presidential Task Force on drunk driving and invites MADD to serve on it.
• MADD National Office moves to Texas.
• NBC produces a made-for-television movie about MADD resulting in the growth of more chapters and significant media attention.


1984
• National "21” minimum drinking age bill is enacted.
• MADD goes international when Canada becomes the first country outside of the U.S. to charter a MADD affiliate.
• MADD changes its name to Mothers Against Drunk Driving.
• MADD grows to more than 350 chapters.


1985
• England and New Zealand charter MADD affiliates.

1986
• MADD establishes Victim Assistance Institutes to train volunteers on how to support victims of drunk driving and how to serve as their advocates in the criminal justice system.
• Telemarketing programs spur a major growth in grassroots support and serve as MADD's major public awareness campaigns to educate the general public on drunk driving issues.
• Project Red Ribbon is introduced and one million red ribbons are distributed as motorists pledge to drive safe and sober during the Christmas and New Year holidays.
• Australia charters MADD affiliate.

1987
• National 1-800 hotline is created to provide victim support (1-800-GET- MADD).
• MADD submits an amices brief to the U.S. Supreme Court opposing an effort by several states to have the federal Age 21 law ruled unconstitutional; the law was successfully upheld.

1988
• Omnibus Anti-Drug Abuse Act is signed. Included in this landmark bill is an amendment extending to all victims of DWI the same compensation rights offered to victims of other crimes. Another amendment creates the Drunk Driving Prevention Act (Section 410) to increase incentives for key state DWI law enactment. Also adopted was the Alcohol Beverage Labeling Act, requiring warnings on alcohol containers.
• Impaired Driving Issues Compendium is created and ten companion workshops scheduled to instruct judges, legislators, law enforcement officials and MADD members on how to amend and implement stronger anti-DWI laws.
• All 50 states by now had passed Age 21 as the minimum legal drinking age.

1989
• First MADD National Youth Conference, co-sponsored by the National Association of Broadcasters, is held in Washington, D.C.
• MADD forms Victim Impact Panels as a national program and publishes a "How To" booklet and video.

1990
• MADD files an amices brief with the U.S. Supreme Court over the constitutionality of sobriety checkpoints. Following a hearing, the court rules in favor of checkpoints. MADD later establishes the week of July 4th as National Sobriety Checkpoint Week.
• MADD introduces its "20 by 2000" plan to reduce the proportion of traffic fatalities that are alcohol-related by 20 percent by the year 2000.


1991
• Congress passed the Inter-modal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA), which included an updated, more accessible Section 410 program to more effectively encourage states to adopt key anti-DUI legislation; MADD played a key role in shaping the program.
• The first national "Rating the States" Survey is released, drawing nationwide attention to the status of state and federal efforts against drunk driving.
• MADD sponsored Gallup survey of public attitudes on drunk driving revealing that Americans cite drunk driving as the number one problem on the nation's highways.
• The Transportation Employee Testing Safety Act passes, requiring alcohol as well as drug testing of transportation employees in safety-sensitive jobs, including random pre-employment and post-crash testing. MADD constituents helped turn the tide and secure House action after the Senate had already taken action 11 times.

1992
• MADD develops clergy/funeral director seminars, to help enlighten clergy, funeral directors and allied professionals on the special needs of family members following a tragic death.
• MADD testifies on Capitol Hill on issues including funding for the Section 410 incentive grant program and on the Sensible Advertising and Family Education (SAFE) Act, to require extending the current health and safety warnings on alcohol beverage containers to all alcohol advertising, as well.

1993
• Five states pass laws to lower the legal blood alcohol limit (BAC) from .10 to .08.
• The second national "Rating the States" Survey is released, highlighting progress and remaining challenges in the fight against impaired driving.

1994
• MADD releases results from second yearlong Gallup survey on drunk driving, which shows the public is becoming increasingly less tolerant of drunk drivers and more supportive of stiffer penalties.
• Release of the 1993 Fatal Accident Reporting System statistics reveals that alcohol-related traffic deaths dropped the previous year to a 30-year low; NHTSA credits MADD along with tougher laws.

1995
• MADD participates in the Secretary of Transportation's Summit on Highway Safety, announcing a proposed goal of reducing alcohol-related traffic fatalities to 11,000 or fewer by the year 2005.
• MADD begins holding public policy institutes to train state public policy liaisons in DUI issues and legislative how-to techniques.
• MADD announces national drunk driving fatalities rise for the first time in a decade.

1996
• Third national "Rating the States" survey is released announcing drop in nation's grade due to rise in drunk driving fatalities.
• MADD announces new focus on underage drinking and impaired driving with youth programs born out of Commission on Youth report.

1997
• MADD launches eight programs to more directly involve young people in its mission. These programs include a National Youth Summit, a traveling multi-media school assembly called Take the Lead and Youth In Action groups. MADD also offers new youth-focused publications and materials for young people, parents and teachers.
• MADD helps pass "Zero Tolerance" laws, which prohibit youth under 21 from driving with any measurable amount of alcohol in their blood system.

1998
• MADD introduces interactive CD-ROM program, which guides parents of children near legal driving age through a discussion about the serious responsibility of being a young driver. The program, called "The Key," focuses on the deadly consequences of mixing alcohol and other drugs with driving.
• MADD On-Line Victims' Tribute is developed. Families may add the names and personal stories about their loved ones who have been victimized by the crime of drunk driving.
• Department of Transportation releases statistics stating that nationwide alcohol-related traffic deaths had reached an all-time record low.
• MADD applauds U.S. Congress for passing legislation requiring all states to enact open container laws and tougher penalties for repeat offenders, or face redirection of their federal highway funds.
• MADD teams with recording artists to honor DUI victims through the release of "Honor Them All" - a compilation of songs by popular artists. A portion of all sales will be donated to MADD.

1999
• The California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) awarded the MADD California State Office a $2.1 million grant - the largest in MADD's history - to enhance services to the state's 33 million residents. The Technology, Education and Awareness for MADD (TEAM) grant will cover a variety of projects for the next three years. The grant will include programs such as a law enforcement recognition program, a youth anti-DUI/underage drinking program, various multicultural outreach projects, public service announcements, expansion of the Youthful Visitation Program, Victim/DUI Impact Panels and computer technology for the MADD California State Office and chapters
• The California Office of Traffic Safety also provides MADD California and the California Highway Patrol, another of MADD's largest grants - $500,000 - to fund a youth program called "Take the Lead." MADD California will take this program to 200 high schools each year for three years. It is estimated that 450,000 students will be impacted by this multi-media, anti-DUI presentation.
• Due to the TEAM Grant, MADD California was able to hire a Diversity Outreach Coordinator. This person will outreach to a diverse multicultural population, delivering MADD's message and providing victim services to the members of these communities.
• MADD and GuideOne Foundation's Rating the Sates 2000 report-card survey, which rates the strengths and challenges of each state and the nation on its anti-drunk driving and underage drinking initiatives, was released in November 1999. Leading the nation in the fight against drunk driving, California was the only state to receive an "A".