Mothers Against Drunk Driving Marks 45th Anniversary in Washington, D.C. With Two Days of Innovation, Advocacy, and Remembrance

WASHINGTON, Sept. 15, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) commemorated its 45th anniversary on September 9-10 in the nation's capital with two days of events that brought together government leaders, industry innovators, victims, survivors, and advocates committed to ending impaired driving.

The event kicked off on September 9 with welcome remarks from MADD CEO Stacey D. Stewart, who reflected on the organization's legacy and impact over the years. "It's a privilege to be among so many champions, advocates, and supporters of our mission. From championing historic legislation like the 21 Minimum Drinking Age Act of 1984 and the .08 BAC National Standard, which will celebrate its 25^th anniversary this October, we have driven real change together."

A Thought Leadership Summit followed where government, transportation, and automotive leaders discussed existing and emerging anti-drunk driving technologies. They also addressed critical issues, such as mental health, alcohol and poly substance use, along with cross-sector collaborative solutions towards accelerating the end of drunk and impaired driving.

During a plenary session led by David Strickland, a former MADD Board Chair and VP of Global Regulatory Affairs & Transportation Technology Policy at General Motors, several MADD partners made significant anti-drunk driving technology announcements during the summit, notably:

• The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) announced it will soon recognize impairment detection technology as a criterion in its Top Safety Pick+ award.
• Seeing Machines introduced a new capability for its world class Driver Monitoring System (DMS) technology that can detect alcohol-related impairment.
• The Driver Alcohol Detection System for Safety (DADSS) Program announced the imminent completion of their alcohol detection technology's design package this year that enables manufacturers to make it widely available for commercial vehicles.

MADD applauds these milestones, which push the boundaries of what's possible and take us one step closer to a world where cars can actively prevent crashes before they happen.

The summit featured other leading voices from IIHS, Smart Eye, Seeing Machines, Vodafone Automotive, Mazda, Uber, Waymo, Diageo, the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), FIA Foundation, UMASS Chan Medical School, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), Flock Safety, the Connecticut Department of Transportation, and Responsibility.org, which served as the Host Sponsor.

Guests also heard from Chief Counsel Peter Simshauser of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and attended a Technology Showcase featuring advanced vehicle safety systems and impaired driving prevention tools, underscoring the life-saving potential of innovations that prevent drunk driving. In her closing remarks on Day 1, Stewart shared:

"One of the biggest focuses in our work today is the HALT Drunk Driving Law. Thanks to this important law, we are no longer asking if we can end impaired driving but when. And the answer is NOW."

On September 10, MADD hosted a Capitol Hill Day, where victims, survivors, and advocates met with Members of Congress to advance federal priorities around the HALT Drunk Driving Law, which requires anti-drunk driving technology to be installed in every new car, and will save more than 10,000 lives each year once fully implemented.

Stemming from his meetings with victims and survivors, Congressman Brad Sherman joined constituents urging the US Department of Transportation (USDOT) to fully implement the HALT Drunk Driving Law and require impaired driving prevention tech in all new cars. A bipartisan group of congresspeople led by Representative Michael Lawler also wrote a letter to USDOT Secretary Duffy in support of MADD to advance the HALT Drunk Driving Law; other leaders are expected to sign on to it.

The two-day program concluded with hundreds of attendees joining MADD leadership, National Ambassadors, and former National Presidents on the National Mall for a candlelight vigil and victim tribute, carrying on the decades-long tradition of honoring the lives impacted by impaired driving. Victims, survivors, and families shared their stories, and several congressional leaders gave remarks to show their support including Senator Ben Ray Lujan, Representative Debbie Dingell, Representative Kevin Kiley, Representative Laura Gillen, and Representative Gus Bilirakis, flanked by MADD representatives from their respective states.

The 45th anniversary in Washington, D.C. highlighted the significant technology and policy progress towards MADD's mission to end drunk and impaired driving, support the victims and survivors of this preventable tragedy, and stop underage drinking and other drug use through ongoing education and advocacy.

Leaning into the power of partnerships, MADD and roadway safety and advocacy leader AAA also reaffirmed the goal to reduce impaired driving deaths by 20% in the next five years. Additionally, the nonprofit will honor General Motors CEO Mary Barra as the recipient of a MADD Auto Industry Safety Leadership Award, recognizing GM's long-time support of MADD's mission and activities and Barra's statement of support for drunk driving prevention technology deployment.

As MADD looks ahead to its future, it invites individuals, organizations, and corporations to join The MADD Network and be part of a growing community dedicated to advancing its vision to end impaired driving for good.

About Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD)
Mothers Against Drunk Driving® (MADD) is a national nonprofit leading the movement to end impaired driving for good. Since 1980, MADD has helped reduce drunk driving deaths in America by more than 40%, saved nearly 500,000 lives, and served nearly one million victims and survivors. The organization is committed to leading prevention efforts with young adults, collaborating with law enforcement to keep our roads safe from impaired drivers, as well as advocating for stricter sentencing and stronger laws, including the HALT Drunk Driving Law that mandates anti-drunk driving technology in every new car. MADD continues to provide support services to victims and survivors of impaired driving at no charge through victim advocates and the 24-Hour Victim Help Line 1-877-MADD-HELP. For more information or to donate, visit https://madd.org/ and follow MADD on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter,  TikTok, LinkedIn, and YouTube.

SOURCE Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD)