We Save Lives educates the public and policy makers about the dangers of the 3D’s. These are  Drugged, Distracted, and Drunken driving. It is led by the pioneering founder of Mothers Against Drunk Driving, Candy Lightner.

We’ve made great progress in reducing alcohol traffic deaths since 1980. That’s when Ms. Lightner began raising public awareness of the problem. The proportion of alcohol-related traffic deaths has fallen by over half since 1982.

But the proportion of traffic deaths not linked with alcohol has jumped over three-fourths during the same time. See Drugged Driving Greatly Under-Reported. We’re winning the battle against alcohol-related traffic deaths. We’re losing it against other causes traffic deaths.¹

A person killed by a drugged or distracted driver is just as dead as someone killed by a drunken driver. It makes no difference. Yet the dangers of drugged and distracted are largely ignored. We Save Lives is working hard to change that.

Drugged Driving

Of drivers stopped for reckless driving who had no trace of alcohol in their systems, 45% had marijuana and 25% had cocaine in their bodies.² A study was made of randomly sampled interstate tractor-trailer drivers. It found that 15% of all drivers had marijuana and fewer than 1% had alcohol in their systems. Twelve percent  had non-prescription stimulants, 5% had prescription stimulants, 2% had cocaine in their bodies.³

And the problem is growing much worse. To learn more, visit Drugged Driving.

Some people have admitted that they do drugs rather than drive after drinking. That’s because arrests for drugged driving virtually never occur.

                           Read more at We Save Lives

• • • • • Drugged Driving
        • Distracted Driving
        • Drunk Driving

Distracted Driving

There are three major forms of driving distraction. One is visual distraction. People may take their eyes off the road for any of a number of reasons. Another is manual. This occurs when people take their hands off the wheel. The third is mental. It involves thinking about things other than driving.

Most people know that texting while driving is dangerous. But they may not know how very risky it really. It’s actually six times more dangerous than driving while intoxicated.⁴

We Save Lives reports the disturbing fact that in a recent study, 18% of drivers (nearly one of every five) said they have sent text messages or e-mails while driving.

There are many other distracting activities while driving.

• • Eating and drinking.
  • Reading maps or other things.
  • Using a navigation (GPS) system.
  • Combing hair or other personal grooming.
  • Talking to passengers.
  • Watching a video.
  • Disciplining children.
  • Adjusting radios.

The proportion of alcohol-related traffic deaths has dropped greatly. Yet far too many people are still being needlessly injured or killed from drunken driving. We need to remember that driving while impaired by alcohol is a preventable crime.

While addressing the serious problems of drugged and distracted driving, we cannot relax our efforts to continue reducing drunk driving.

We Save Lives is committed to reducing the 3D’s of Drugged, Distracted, and Drunken driving.

Please remember. A person killed by a drugged or distracted driver is just as dead as someone killed by a drunk driver. Dead is dead.

Visit We Save Lives.

Resources: We Save Lives

Endnotes

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