One group gets MADD about drunk drivers

Instead of sitting around feeling sorry for herself, after her 13-year-old daughter Carri was killed by a drunk driver, a Fair Oaks, Calif., woman, Candy Lightner, began a campaign to rid the roads of intoxicated motorists.

Now, less than two years later, Mothers Against Drunk Drivers (MADD), which she formed, has spread to 40 chapters in 17 states. The group is widely credited as a major force in boosting public awareness of the drunk driver problem and it is a strong advocate for tougher, more rigidly enforced penalties for those convicted of drunk driving. Chapters in California and Maryland, in particular, have been in the forefront of efforts to toughen DWI penalties.

Currently, many of MADD's efforts are directed to aiding the families of those killed or seriously injured by drunk driver.

Although many of the more than 2,000 active members of MADD have been personally touched by the loss or disablement of a child or other loved ones, this is not required for membership.

Active MADD chapters are located in California, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nebraska, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia.