AAA, MADD and Waymo Remind Drivers to Plan Sober Rides During the Holidays
Washington–AAA is joining forces with Mothers Against Drunk Driving® (MADD) and Waymo in a collaborative effort to prevent impaired driving, reminding families and drivers to plan safe rides home this holiday season during one of the most dangerous times of year on the road. December is Impaired Driving Prevention Month, serving as a timely reminder for everyone to make safe choices and stay vigilant about impaired driving.
Drunk driving claimed 4,931 lives during the December months of 2019-2023, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). MADD, AAA and Waymo together are encouraging everyone to take proactive steps to help keep the roads safe this holiday season.
“Impaired driving is a preventable crisis, and AAA remains dedicated to helping turn the tide to make roads safer,” said Gene Boehm, President and CEO of AAA, Inc. “As holiday travel picks up and winter weather sets in, the roadways become even more dangerous—especially when impaired driving is added to the mix. Lives are on the line, and together with MADD, we are committed to saving them.”
AAA’s partnership with MADD stretches beyond Impaired Driving Prevention Month, marking the beginning of a larger, joint effort to reduce impaired driving deaths by 20% in the next five years.
“Ending impaired driving requires a collective movement, with each of us playing a part,” said Stacey D. Stewart, CEO of MADD. “AAA’s commitment to road safety and Waymo’s tech-forward approach align well with MADD’s mission to put an end to impaired driving for good, and we’re thrilled to join forces with both companies in our relentless march towards this purpose.”
As part of its partnership with MADD, Waymo is offering a $5 ride discount for the first 2,500 redemptions of the code, “SAFEHOLIDAYS.” This discount will be valid now through New Year’s Eve in all current Waymo owned and operated markets: San Francisco, Los Angeles and Phoenix.
“The loss of life caused by impaired driving isn’t just a statistic, it’s families and communities forever changed,” said Suzanne Philion, Chief Marketing Officer of Waymo. “At Waymo, we believe this is unacceptable, and we’re working every day to help prevent these crashes through safe, sober, autonomous driving.”
In 2023, more than 13,000 people were killed in drunk driving crashes across the U.S. for the second year in a row, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). MADD, AAA and Waymo together are encouraging everyone to take proactive steps to help keep the roads safe this holiday season, from helping guests plan a safe ride home to talking with children and teens about making safe choices.
The impaired driving crisis is worsening nationwide and drunk driving deaths have increased by 22% since 2019. This means that roughly every 85 seconds, someone is killed or injured in a drunk driving crash. MADD firmly believes the key to eliminating impaired driving lies in anti-drunk driving auto technology. The HALT Drunk Driving Law, passed in 2021, requires this lifesaving technology to be put into all new cars, which will save more than 10,000 lives per year.
