Mothers Against Drunk Driving® (MADD) and Amica Insurance announce Take the Smart Route campaign to promote safety and prevent substance use among youth.

Amica continues partnership with MADD to promote safety and well-being for young people.

IRVING, Texas, Oct. 3, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Mothers Against Drunk Driving^® (MADD) and Amica Insurance announce Take the Smart Route, a new campaign to promote well-being and prevent underage substance use among youth across the country. The Take the Smart Route campaign includes information for young people and is designed to combat underage drinking and other drug use. Each year in the U.S., underage drinking contributes to more than 4,300 deaths among people below the age of 21.

As part of MADD's growing Power of You(th)^® educational programs, Take the Smart Route aims to guide students through various routes to say no to underage drinking and to never ride with an impaired driver, with visual checkpoints for safety tips and substance-free activities. Topics include ways to say no to underage substance abuse, prioritize mental health, and create a safety plan with parents and friends. It also focuses on the dangers of impaired driving, an urgent issue given that about 17% of high school students report that in the past 30 days, they rode with a driver who had been drinking alcohol.

"We are thankful that Amica is committed to making the nation's roadways safer," said Meghan Carter, MADD Director of Organizational Prevention Programs. "We appreciate their steadfast support for MADD's Power of You(th) program, which has helped us reach over a million young people from coast to coast since its inception 12 years ago."

MADD's partnership with Amica Insurance, which began in 2020, supports reaching and teaching middle school- and high school-aged youth about the harmful effects of underage drinking and substance use.

"The impact of bad choices when getting behind the wheel of an automobile has to be taken seriously," said Paul Cullinane, Amica's Strategic Partnership Manager. "Amica is pleased to continue our partnership with MADD and promote the safety and well-being of young people, by giving them a tool to help take control of risky behavior."

For more information about Power of You(th), visit madd.org/powerofyouth.

About Amica Insurance
Amica is the longest-standing mutual insurer of automobiles in the U.S. A direct writer, Amica also offers home, life, marine and umbrella insurance, as well as annuities. Founded on principles of outstanding service, Amica creates peace of mind and builds enduring relationships with its customers. That mission is shared and supported by thousands of employees across the country. Visit Amica.com.

About Mothers Against Drunk Driving
Mothers Against Drunk Driving^® (MADD) is the nonprofit leader in a movement to create a world where there are #NoMoreVictims of impaired driving. By working in collaboration with law enforcement to end underage drinking and all drunk and drugged driving, MADD has helped reduce drunk driving deaths by more than 50%, saving more than 475,000 lives. The organization is a vocal advocate for tougher sentencing, new laws, and new technology, including the implementation of the Halt Act. MADD is focused on the prevention of underage drinking with educational programs for youth and parents. MADD also has provided supportive services to nearly one million victims of drunk and drugged driving at no charge through local victim advocates and its 24-Hour Victim Help Line 1-877-MADD-HELP. For more information or to make a donation, visit us at https://madd.org/  and follow MADD on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, LinkedIn, and YouTube.  

SOURCE Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD)