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American Morning

MADD Advocating Lower Legal Drinking Limit

Aired April 10, 2001 - 09:24   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: An organization backed by the nation's leading distillers has joined with Mothers Against Drunk Driving. They're lobbying for states to lower the legal drinking and driving limit to .08. And right now, 19 states and the District of Columbia allow a blood alcohol content of .08 for drivers, and in all other states, except Massachusetts, the legal limit is .10.

With more on the push to get the legal limit down across-the- board, we're joined by Millie Webb, national president of Mothers Against Drunk Driving, or MADD, and former U.S. Representative Susan Molinari, chairwoman of the Century Council. They join us live from Washington this morning.

Good morning to both of you.

MILLIE WEBB, NATIONAL PRESIDENT, MADD: Good morning.

SUSAN MOLINARI, CENTURY COUNCIL: Good morning.

PHILLIPS: Millie, for those who may not have met you or we've interviewed you a number of time, will you give us your personal story and why you are in the position that you're in and why you are fighting for this?

WEBB: Well, my family was rear-ended by .08 driver. Our car burst into flames. My husband and I were both burned severely. Our 19-month-old nephew, Mitch, died. Our four-year-old daughter, Laurie, suffered for two weeks before dying. I was seven months pregnant when I was burned 75 percent and my child was born premature and is legally blind as a result of that crash.

PHILLIPS: And it's heart wrenching. So, when you push for efforts like this, what kind of difference can this make? Are there proven numbers that if every state takes on this new limit that it'll make a difference?

WEBB: What all the research tells us is when each state comes on board and lowers their blood alcohol content to .08 BAC, that we should see between a 500 to 600 decrease in the number of fatalities.

PHILLIPS: Wow, and Susan, you know, you were a politician for quite a while. Why is it that states like Massachusetts don't even have a legal limit? MOLINARI: Well, you know at this point, that's what we're going to go around and find out and change. In Century Council, we think this is such a historic day to work with someone like Millie Webb and the Mothers Against Drunk Driving to work with states like Massachusetts and others to get to .08 with a comprehensive package of after-care treatment, blood alcohol concentration education, vehicle sanctions.

We want to make sure that there's a comprehensive package that surrounds the .08 to make sure that repeat offenders, the hard-core drunk drivers, are finally taken off the road, and that we spread and educate a message not only for underage drinkers, but for all that there has to be a responsible way of drinking so that these terrible tragedies that Millie has suffered through and too many people in this country become less and less every year.

PHILLIPS: What kind of statement do you think is being made here by the Century Council taking on this effort?

MOLINARI: I hope most people see this as a very positive statement. I'm very proud to be their representative here today, joining with a wonderful organization like MADD to say, for the first time, a group of American liquor owners, the America's largest distillers who fund the Century Council, are saying we really want to continue making a strong commitment toward responsible drinking.

And one way we're going to do this is going state by state toward the .08, part of a comprehensive package, as I said, for treatment, after care, education, vehicle sanction. We want to make sure that this message gets out there and as Millie said, we want to lower those numbers every year.

PHILLIPS: And Millie, back to Massachusetts for a minute, you know, a state that doesn't even have a legal limit, are you really focusing on this state? Is this is a big part of your push?

WEBB: Well, certainly Massachusetts needs to come on board, but hopefully with the help of the Century Council and distilled spirits, we'll see those numbers, those states come on board and we'll soon see each state lowering their blood alcohol content to .08 and passing other comprehensive legislation to see the numbers of fatalities decrease.

You know, I was very upset to find out just a few weeks ago that for the first time in many years, we've seen the number of fatalities increase by over 16,000. So, it's time we all become -- become honed in on the fact that we've -- they, you know, drunk driving is still the number one killer and we're so grateful today to be able to acknowledge the fact that the Century Council along with distilled spirits industry has stepped up to the plate in our fight against drunk driving.

PHILLIPS: Let's talk about punishments, too, Millie. You know, a lot of people get by with this, and don't really go through very tough punishments. What's going on to make it more worthwhile not to do this and know that you can't get by with this? WEBB: Well, we've got to continue with our education and hopefully one day, irresponsible behavior will come face-to-face with responsibly judgment. But until then, we have to make sure that we have those life-saving legislation laws passed, but need along with that to make sure that there's education out there.

PHILLIPS: Millie Webb and Susan Molinari, thanks so much for being with us this morning.

MOLINARI: Thank you.

WEBB: Thank you.

PHILLIPS: Well, the Century Council has a Web site aimed at helping people make responsible decisions about drinking. The Web address is: b4udrink.org, and it will even show you how to calculate your blood alcohol concentration.

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