INDIANAPOLIS — The holiday season is a dangerous one on the roads and Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) hopes a campaign will remind everyone to stay safe, and sober.
"It's the same heart-wrenching stories that happen and continue to happen," Cathy Wray said.
Two mothers share similar grief caused by drunk drivers.
"Trauma visited us in December 2021. It was December 6th. Bryce died instantly and then Abby lived around 22 minutes there," Wray said.
"December 10th, 2018, my son, Jullian Tinoco who was 20 years old was hit head-on by a drunk and drugged driver," Yolanda Coriano said.
Although Wray and Corianos' lives will never be the same, they have turned their pain into advocacy through mothers against drunk driving, hoping to save more lives.
"We're not against alcohol, we're against drinking and driving. We just strongly urge people to this campaign. That you can get there safely," Coriano said.
The campaign is called "To Get There" a pledge encouraging folks to get to their destination, responsibly.
"You can commit to just saying, I will not drive under the influence. I will not allow my other friends and family to drive under the influence. I will take action,” Coriano said.
The National Highway Safety Administration (NHSA) said most fatal drunk driving crashes tend to occur between Thanksgiving and the New Year.
"Seems around the holiday season where people are careless, there are many more drivers out on the road," Coriano.
Cathy said her daughter Abby was studying to become a nurse and worked as a bartender to get her through school. Abby was known as the bartender who upheld her social responsibility to get customers home safely. Her mother says she is now taking on that same responsibility to make a change.
"I tell all Abby's friends. If you need a ride, you call me. I will take responsibility just as Abby did and make sure you get home safely. I don't want to know the circumstances, but I will get you home safely."
The NHSA said every day in the U.S., about 37 people die in drunk-driving crashes. That's one person every 39 minutes.
In 2021, 932 people lost their lives on the road in Indiana, a four percent increase from 2020.
