National fight against drunk driving is far from over

The groups summed up their report with a letter grade. This time around, the country’s efforts overall merit just a "C." And that “C is for complacency," says MADD national president Wendy J. Hamilton.

She points out that while alcohol-related traffic deaths dropped by 40% between the time MADD was founded in 1980 and 1993, progress stalled as deaths leveled off at about 16,500 between 1993 and 1999. Over the past three years, drunk driving deaths have actually climbed by 5%, according to MADD.

Hamilton says the nation's grade fell thanks to an increase in alcohol-related traffic deaths, illustrating the urgent need for more government resources and strong leadership from Congress and the Bush Administration.

In the area of political leadership, the Administration's grade also slipped to a "C" since the last "Rating the States" report in 1999. The Senate earned a "B+”, and the House a "C”.

No state earned an "A" . California received the highest grade, with a "B+,” followed by Georgia, New York, North Carolina and Oregon, which received "B" grades.

The only state to receive a failing grade ("F") was Montana. The District of Columbia received a "D+," North Dakota, Rhode Island, South Carolina and South Dakota received a "D.” Alaska and Massachusetts received "D-."

MADD has identified several "top-priority" laws it believes states should adopt: administrative license revocation; .08 blood alcohol concentration (BAC)/illegal per se; primary enforcement safety-belt laws; mandatory alcohol assessment and treatment; mandatory BAC testing for all drivers in fatal crashes; hospital BAC reporting; victim rights constitutional amendments; vehicle impoundment; and ignition interlock laws.

Waving the report card, MADD is challenging citizens and politicians alike to "Get MADD All Over Again" and support its eight-point plan to curb drunk driving and underage drinking.

This plan calls for widespread use of sobriety checkpoints and other highly visible enforcement efforts, tougher laws for the more serious DUI offenders, court monitoring programs, higher beer excise taxes, stronger seat belt laws, reducing underage drinking, and establishing a National Traffic Safety Fund to support education and enforcement programs.