Join the campaign to ELIMINATE drunk driving!

It brings me great sadness to announce that a former co-worker, and dedicated Mesa Police Department Officer, Brandon Mendoza, passed away this week as the result of a drunk driver. To honor his service and memory, I feel it is necessary to educate the public on the dangers and severity of impaired driving. According to MADD (Mother's Against Drunk Driving) on average, one in three people will be involved in a drunk driving crash in their lifetime. As a result, for the last seven years, MADD has campaigned to ELIMINATE drunk driving by focusing on three steps:
Support our heroes. Support high-visibility law enforcement to catch drunk drivers and discourage others from driving drunk.
Sober to start. Require ignition interlock devices, or in-car breathalyzers, for all drunk drivers, to prove they are sober before their car will start.
Secure the future. Support the development of technology to determine automatically whether or not the driver is above the legal limit of .08 and failing to operate if the driver is drunk.
excerpts from MADD website

How can you prevent drunk driving? NEVER get behind the wheel impaired and NEVER let someone who has been drinking drive. MADD offers these helpful tips:
Be as non-confrontational as possible.
Suggest alternate ways of getting to their destination — a cab, a sober driver, public transportation.
Remember that the person you are talking to is impaired — talk a bit more slowly and explain things more fully than if you were speaking to a sober person. Explain that you don’t want them to drive because you care and you don’t want them to hurt themselves or others. Suggest that they sleep over. Enlist a friend to help you or to act as moral support — it’s more difficult to say “no” to two (or three or four) people than one. If possible, get the person’s keys. It is far easier to persuade the potential driver when you hold this leverage.
If all else fails, call law enforcement. It’s better to have a friend arrested than injured or killed.

In addition to prevention, MADD offers support and education to victims of drunk driving.
MADD Hotline for crisis counseling and resources 877-MADD-HELP.
MADD also recognizes that victims of this tragedy need to know and understand their rights. To learn more visit http://www.madd.org/victim-services/victim-rights/victims-rights.html

Join the efforts to keep our roadways safe from impaired drivers and educate our young drivers.
Visit http://www.madd.org/drunk-driving/ for more information and prevention material.

In memory of Sgt. Brandon Mendoza. Thank you for your service and keeping our communities safe! Rest in Peace.

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