SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. — Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) has teamed up with law enforcement agencies across the country to intensify efforts against impaired driving ahead of the Labor Day weekend, one of the busiest travel periods of the year.

What You Need To Know

  • Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) and law enforcement are intensifying impaired driving enforcement ahead of Labor Day weekend

  • The initiative, known as "Saturation Saturday," aims to prevent crashes during one of the year's busiest travel periods

  • In 2022, nearly half of the drivers aged 18 to 34 killed in Labor Day crashes were impaired

The initiative, known as "Saturation Saturday," aims to save lives by increasing impaired driving enforcement, raising awareness, and preventing accidents that often spike during holiday weekends.

Deanna Hehmann, a volunteer and impact speaker for MADD, said this cause is deeply personal for her. It has been nearly five years since her son-in-law, Chad, was killed in a drunk driving crash.

“It’s something that happens immediately, and quite frankly, during our situation, law enforcement were the first individuals we dealt with in coping with the death from a very violent crash,” Hehmann said.

Chad was working in Atlanta as a concrete cutter on a closed interstate worksite when a drunk driver breached the barriers and struck him while he was operating machinery.

The tragedy has driven Hehmann to speak out against impaired driving, sharing her story with high school students, law enforcement, government agencies, and attorneys.

“I talk to anyone who will listen in order to reach the goal of no more victims,” she said. “It’s such a senseless death, and the tragedy has a domino effect.”

Hehmann’s commitment to preventing drunk driving incidents is echoed by MADD’s partnership with law enforcement.

During the 2022 Labor Day weekend, there were 490 traffic crash fatalities nationwide. Of those, 190 involved a drunk driver, according to MADD. Particularly concerning, nearly half of drivers between the ages of 18 and 34 who were killed in crashes during that holiday period were impaired, with blood alcohol concentrations of .08 or higher.

“Typically, we see a lot more crashes around holidays in general, so increasing awareness and education around those high-risk times for DUI crashes helps people make the connection that, yes, we have something to celebrate, but we want to do it safely,” said MADD Area Program Manager Erynn Sendrick.

As the Labor Day holiday weekend approaches, law enforcement agencies across the country are increasing their visibility on roadways and highways, with the hope of preventing as many DUI crashes as possible.