MADD Mourns the Loss of Senator Frank Lautenberg

Senator was a true highway safety giant

WASHINGTON--June 3, 2013: Today, MADD joins the citizens of New Jersey and a thankful nation in mourning the loss of Senator Frank Lautenberg.  "Senator Lautenberg was a true legend in highway safety," said MADD National President Jan Withers.  "He was instrumental in passage of the 21 minimum drinking age law, federal zero tolerance laws for youth, and in passage of the national .08 BAC standard.  His leadership helped lead a nation to dramatic reductions in drunk driving deaths and injuries.  Our thoughts are with Senator Lautenberg's family during this time."

Most recently, Senator Lautenberg championed legislation known as the Drunk Driving Repeat Offender Prevention Act, or DDROP, which would push states to require all convicted drunk drivers to use an ignition interlock device.  He also helped champion, along with Senator Tom Udall, the authorization of the Driver Alcohol Detection System for Safety, or DADSS, program.  These two initiatives combined with high visibility law enforcement efforts make up MADD's Campaign to Eliminate Drunk Driving.

About Mothers Against Drunk Driving
Founded by a mother whose daughter was killed by a drunk driver, Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) is the nation's largest nonprofit working to protect families from drunk driving and underage drinking. MADD also supports drunk and drugged driving victims and survivors at no charge, serving one person every eight minutes through local MADD victim advocates and at 1-877-MADD-HELP.