Tie One On For MADD

North Haven — Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) Connecticut reminds drivers this holiday season to drive safe, sober, and buckled up as part of its annual Tie One On For Safety campaign. The popular holiday red ribbon program urges motorists to tie the MADD ribbon to their vehicles as a pledge to be safe on the roadways, and to especially buckle up since a seat belt is the best defense against a drunk driver. 

The MADD Tie One On For Safety campaign comes at a critical time in the year when road travel and traffic fatalities traditionally increase between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Eve. In 2005, 120 people were killed in Connecticut in alcohol-related crashes. 

Each year in the United States, nearly 13,000 people are killed in drunk driving crashes and more than half a million people are injured in alcohol-related traffic crashes. Additionally, seat belts save lives. 

From 1975 through 2005, it is estimated that safety belts saved 211,128 lives, including 15,632 lives saved in 2005. For more information, visit www.madd.org or call the MADD Connecticut State Office at 203-234-6521. 

A 24-hour victim assistance hotline is available toll free at: 877-MADD-HELP.