Just Ahead of Prom and Graduation Season, MADD and Chrysler Group Visit Los Angeles Area During 21-City Campaign to Educate Teens on Underage Drinking Prevention

  --  Tour Stops at San Fernando High School on Wednesday, May 4, 2005
  --  MADD and Chrysler Group will be Joined by Judge Manuel Franco, the
      Star of the Hit Hispanic Courtroom Television Show "La Corte Del
      Pueblo"

LOS ANGELES - Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) and Chrysler Group will visit San Fernando High School on Wednesday, May 4 at 9:15 a.m. to raise awareness among teens of the perils of underage drinking and promote teen driving safety just in time for prom and graduation season.

More than 250 students are expected to participate in the pep rally at San Fernando High School, located at:

  San Fernando High
  11133 O'Melveny Ave.
  San Fernando Valley
  9:15 a.m. - 9:45 a.m.

Wendy Hamilton, MADD national president and Luis Morais, senior manager - Safety Planning and Programs for Chrysler Group, will be joined by special guest Judge Manuel Franco, the star of the hit Hispanic courtroom television show "La Corte Del Pueblo," at San Fernando High School to help communicate to students positive health and safety messages at a time when the pressures and celebrations of prom and graduation season are at an all-time high.

After taking the 21 Pledge to not drink and drive, the students will sign one of the 21 minivans currently touring high schools in 21 cities nationwide to educate teens on making smart and healthy decisions not only during the upcoming celebrations for prom and graduation, but every time.

Los Angeles is stop 20 of 21 that MADD and Chrysler Group are making as part of the "21 Turns 21: Lifesaving Milestones" program. With more than half of all fatal car crashes on typical prom weekends involving alcohol (National Highway Traffic Safety Association 2005), this program is timed to ensure a safe, memorable prom and graduation season for the students of San Fernando High School.

"Promoting safe-driving habits on the road is a top priority for MADD and Chrysler Group," said Morais. "That's why the Company donated 21 Chrysler and Dodge minivans to MADD - to help prevent teen deaths, which are prone to rise during the summer months, and to celebrate the 21st anniversary of the National 21 Minimum Drinking Age Act. Working together with MADD we want to encourage teens to be smart, safe and remain sober - not just during prom and graduation - but at all times."

"We are thrilled to welcome the 21 minivan tour to the Los Angeles metropolitan area," said Lynnmaria Bazan, MADD, Los Angeles County Chapter president. "The 21 Turns 21: Lifesaving Milestones" program will help us reach more young people with positive health and safety messages during this prom and graduation season and beyond. We would like to see everyone under the age of 21 obey the 'zero tolerance' law. Hopefully, this tour will help to strengthen this message."

The tour is in celebration of the 21st anniversary of the lifesaving 21 Minimum Drinking Age Act as well as the 21st birthday of the Chrysler Town & Country and Dodge Grand Caravan minivans. In honor of these milestones, Chrysler Group donated 21 Chrysler and Dodge minivans for 15 months to MADD to help expand its lifesaving education programs for youth.