Mothers Against Drunk Driving Portland Affiliate

MADD was started by Candy Lightner founded MADD in 1980 following the death of her 13-year-old daughter Cari in Fair Oaks, Calif., on May 3. Cari was walking to a school carnival when a drunk driver struck her from behind. The driver had three prior drunk driving convictions and was out on bail from a hit-and-run arrest two days earlier. From its humble beginnings 25 years ago, MADD has evolved into one of the most widely supported and well-liked non-profit organizations in America.

Since our beginning in 1980, we've been working to make our roads and communities safer by preventing motorists from drinking and driving and it's paying off. Our efforts have helped reduce the number of alcohol-related crashes and injuries. It is estimated that MADD has helped save more than 300,000 lives since 1980 while decreasing alcohol related traffic fatalities by 44% from over 30,000 to fewer than 17,000. Nearly 21,000 have been saved by the minimum age laws alone. In 2006, there were 477 total traffic deaths in Oregon. Of those, 148 were drunk driving deaths or 31% of the total.

This is an incredible burden on our state and our communities costing the state $ 0.9 billion or $3.6 million per alcohol related fatality. As you can see, we have done much. But there is much more to be done. And we can't do it alone. We need people like you.