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SADD: Students Against Drunk Driving

Posted on Mar 17, 2010

What started as Students Against Driving Drunk in a small Massachusetts city named Wayland has spread nationwide and has over 10,000 chapters in middle schools, high schools and colleges across the United States and abroad. At first look, you would think someone sampled the name from Mothers Against Drunk Driving and was just continuing their mission with a younger generation. However, the similarities end with the name. Where MADD focuses on legislation and lobbying in an effort to limit drinking and driving SADD makes an attempt to cut the problem off completely. SADD focuses on more issues, made evident by its recent name change. Now it is called Students Against Destructive Decisions.

The Beginning

It all began after the lives of two high school athletes came to an end in two separate accident in 1981.The kids at the school wanted to make a change in the attitudes of a student body that seemed to accepted drinking and driving as a norm and maybe even thought it was cool. Most teens feel like they are invincible and death is far off. S.A.D.D. has sought to expand their focus into other destructive behaviors that death defying youth seem to be attracted to like moths to the flame. Underage drinking, substance abuse, impaired driving, violence, suicide, huffing, crystal meth, and the latest death fad jenkum have all been targeted by SADD.

SADD Goal

SADD seeks to alter the sad reality of the younger generation by getting youths to sign what it calls its Contract for Life. Signed by the adults of the family and the teens, it says that all will make an attempt to abstain from drunk driving. Also, that the parents promise to give the kids a lift if the children are stranded somewhere and the only other alternative is driving while intoxicated. The adults will do this with no inquiries on how the youth got into the situation in the first place. The following morning the families are encouraged to talk about the previous night’s incident.

Empowerment Wristbands – A Solution from SADD

Another SADD attempt at prolonging the lives of youth is the Empowerment wristband. The band is bright red and has the word Empowerment engraved into it, with the word Power bolder than the rest of the word so it will stand out. Students are empowered with the knowledge to make a difference in their schools and the general community. This helps encourage students to spread the word about not drinking and driving to show support of those who do not drink alcohol.