MADD Colorado to Hold First Annual Colorado Springs Walk Like MADD Run/Walk this Saturday

COLORADO SPRINGS, CO--May 16, 2014: This Saturday, May 17th, families and friends of drunk driving victims, community members, and volunteers will join Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) Colorado at the 1st annual Colorado Springs Walk Like MADD® event.

The family-friendly 3K walk and 3-mile run route will be held at Bear Creek Regional Park. The Walk offers participants the most direct way to take action and show their support to help keep Southern Colorado communities safe.

Since MADD was founded in 1980, the number of drunk driving deaths has been cut almost in half. It's a good start, but there is still work to be done. In 2012, 133 people were killed in drunk driving crashes in Colorado, 14 of whom died as a result of drunk driving in El Paso County. Between 2008 and 2012, NHSTA reported a total of 79 fatalities in El Paso County—the most fatalities of any county in Colorado.

"MADD Colorado is excited to bring Walk Like MADD to Colorado Springs after eight years of successful walk events in Denver," said Fran Lanzer, State Executive Director for MADD Colorado. "We're looking forward to increasing our efforts to eliminate drunk driving in Southern Colorado with this event."

The opening ceremonies start at 9:30 a.m., and the walk begins at 10:00 a.m. The walk site will host a Health & Safety Fair; participants may also bring friendly, leashed dogs to walk with them.

To sign up, form a team, or make a donation, visit Walk Like MADD to take up the fight against drunk driving. The registration fee for the Colorado Springs Walk Like MADD is $25 for adults and $20 for youth.

Funds raised through Walk Like MADD further MADD's lifesaving mission and its Campaign to Eliminate Drunk Driving®, which calls for high-visibility law enforcement, ignition interlocks for all convicted drunk drivers and support for the development of advanced in-vehicle technology to automatically determine if a driver is drunk.

The 2014 Colorado Springs Walk Like MADD is presented locally by American Family Insurance.

"We're proud to be the Presenting Sponsor for the Colorado Springs Walk Like MADD," said David Carter, Colorado Sales Director for American Family Insurance. "As an insurance company, we've seen the devastating injuries and trauma to victims and their families as a result of drunk driving crashes. This sponsorship is our commitment to join with MADD to make our communities safer."