| Dear Highway Safety Partner:
It has been 15 years since President Reagan signed the first proclamation to focus a designated week on drunk and drugged driving. Since then, the focus has grown from one week to a month filled with a variety of state and national activities, all with a single emphasis — saving lives by eliminating impaired driving. Each year, President Clinton demonstrates the Executive Office's continued support of National Drunk and Drugged Driving (3D) Prevention Month efforts by signing a new proclamation.
Impaired driving affects every one of us in some way, some more tragically than others. Over the years we have made much progress towards getting impaired drivers off the road, but much more needs to be done. Today, thousands of Americans, who would have died had fatality rates stayed the same, are alive. We have now set our sights on reducing deaths and injuries due to alcohol-related traffic crashes to no more than 11,000 annually by the year 2005, a little less than a decade from now. We know that's an ambitious goal, but one that can be achieved with continued support and commitment from our partners.
It is time once again to organize ourselves for December's National Drunk and Drugged Driving (3D) Prevention Month. This year, the National 3D Prevention Month Coalition and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration have selected the theme "Take a Stand Against Impaired Driving," focusing on a Safe Communities approach, while targeting the 21- to 34-year-old age group, the largest part of the impaired driving problem. This planner provides the tools for communities to undertake local activities on impaired driving, not only during National 3D Prevention Month, but throughout the year.
Join us as we expand on traditional methods, seek new partners, create new ideas, and forge new alliances, across the country and in every community, in our fight to eliminate drunk and drugged drivers from our roadways.
During the holiday season and throughout the year, I strongly urge you to become involved in this effort. Remember, "Impaired Driving is No Accident." Impaired driving incidents are "crashes," predictable and preventable. If we work together, preventing injury and death due to the impaired driver can become a reality. I challenge you to make a difference in your community — "Take a Stand Against Impaired Driving."
Thank you for joining us.
Sincerely,
Ricardo Martinez, M.D. |
