the holiday season is upon us it's a
wonderful time of year lots of parties
good times and often those parties come
with lots of moves the downside comes
behind a wheel we in South Florida have
covered too much heartbreak from DUI
crimes including the case of one mother
who has turned pain into activism Helen
Witte is the new national president of
Mothers Against Drunk Driving
Helen Murray her daughter was a palmetto
High sophomore 18 years ago when she was
killed by a young woman her age
who is driving drunk and distracted come
on good morning are you good morning
we're so glad you are here the message
don't drink don't drug don't drive yes
absolutely and I'm so grateful to be
here this morning in front of this week
because this week is one of the most
dangerous of the year and really we just
want people to be safe we want people
have a great time but we want people to
understand that alcohol is still the
number one killer on our roads you know
we were just talking 18 years that's a
generation and I will share with you I
never drive that stretch of red road
without thinking about your daughter
that we covered and your family and 18
years later we're still covering yes DUI
crimes what do you think does not
compute what where is that disconnect
that it keeps happening that is a
complicated question and a very good one
and I think what we need to do
especially in front of this week is take
personal responsibility for yourself and
for your loved ones around you and
here's my simple equation if your drink
don't drive if your drive don't drink
and and it seems to be simple you know
if I can get into some law here because
among the things that we cover is the
aftermath and the courts right where are
these people often young people have to
go and and realize what they've done and
it's another heartbreak but there is a
component a hit-and-run DUI and we have
covered a lot of people who
try and they may run and leave a person
there and we realized that the penalties
for a hit-and-run
even when involving a death are less
severe much less severe than for a DUI
manslaughter charge almost making it a
good idea for someone to go home for a
night and sober up before you turn
yourself in is that something that MADD
might address we have you know we have
yes we we the Aaron Cohen life
Protection Act we passed I joined in
with that family because Aaron Cohen was
left dead and dying on on the
Rickenbacker Causeway it was a brilliant
young man part of a cycling group going
over the bridge over there to keep his
game yeah and the driver left him and
went home and covered up his car and
because he was not given much penalty it
was under a year in Dade County Jail
that family gathered together and now it
is illegal if you drink and leave well
first of all if you leave the scene of a
fatality you will be given the same
charges as you would if you had been
impaired so it is neck pain just from
from from that family from the Cohen
family and from Matt joining and and
there were a lot of people in this
community that were outraged yeah we
were yes in the 18 years since you lost
your daughter we have seen ride-sharing
grow up now uber lyft are available and
I've got to say in my family I've got a
couple of young guys in their 20s and if
they're gonna go out drinking they say
I'm gonna over tonight yes we love it we
love rideshare it it is a wonderful
thing and so many people are taking
advantage of it but unfortunately it's
kind of counterintuitive because you
would think that the deaths are going
down where the deaths are increasing
especially over the holidays they've
increased by thirty five percent in the
last five years so it's still an issue
that we need to deal with and just make
sure that your loved ones listen if
you're having Noche Buena if your note
whatever keep them home
if the if they but somebody's been
drinking too much in your home keep them
on your couch stop them we need to take
this personally so that it doesn't
become personal you know not only
rideshare but it's worth it to say on
many holidays there are tow companies or
cab companies that offer free rides yes
the cost cost me think yeah so in your
January 1st you take the helm as
president nationally is there what is
there a new priority what's what's
different what does MADD have planned
for the next year well a lot we all have
a new CEO coming on board and we will be
refocusing on traffic safety I think
it's one of those things that perhaps
people think oh yeah that's dealt with
well it's not 30 people die a day in
this country due to impaired driving
let's talk about alcohol impaired
marijuana impaired drug impaired so we
we need to change that and stop that
that's a good point that drunk driving
is not always alcohol right and impaired
driving yes the case of your family's
tragedy that was the case and now we
have distracted driving to add to that
now that everybody carries cell phones
and text messages all those things are
important and drunk driving still the
number one killer Helen I've got to say
I know over the last many years you were
comforted consoled counseled by MADD
members of Mothers Against Drunk Driving
and now you've been doing that yourself
it's a privilege it's a privilege and an
honor because people from mad who have
walked alongside me the whole time
they're still with me and I am meeting
families across South Florida who have
lost their loved ones and so I want it's
it's a it's an honor to walk with them
you know I think what we've learned is
that there is no greater force than a
parent on a mission there are you coming
in thank you and with us happy Holidays
to you thank you for saving and we
salute your mission well thank you very
much for your support all right come on
woody