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Candy Lightner Interview
(Founder of M A D D)

Q. It's been reported DWI deaths are on the increase again. After all that's been said and done by organizations like MADD, why are we seeing an increase?
A. I think there are a number of things. I think one of the things is that the movement itself has become somewhat apathetic; the anti-drunk driving movement. I think they have a false sense of accomplishment. The first 5 years, we passed over 500 laws and were able to dramatically reduce death and injury on our highways. What happened is people began to sit back and say the problem has been solved. And, in fact that's not true as you are reading in the paper. I think the other thing is people refuse to get involved. It takes a death of someone close to them before they decide to take a second look at the issue. And, unfortunately, in many cases, that's too late. And, I did the same thing.

Q. The DWI problem has been around for a long time, yet it wasn't until you formed M.A.D.D. that the problem received serious attention. What does that say about a country when a private citizen has to go out and change attitudes, and help enact laws?
A. It basically says, and I used to say this too, that drunk driving was the only socially acceptable form of homicide. Drinking had become so socially acceptable that unfortunately as a result, that crimes such as drinking and driving, don't use the word activities, also became socially acceptable. Judges do it. Juries do it. District attorneys do it. So you're dealing with a crime that is not considered a crime by society. In my case, 1 was the first victim to speak out in a public way and I was able to garner the attention of the media, and through the media, then the public You know, people began to look at it from a different perspective. Instead of looking at the criminal and thinking. There but for the grace of God go I.' what I hope to do is educate them so they would look at myself or other victims and say, 'Hey, there but for the grace of God could go my child or my spouse.'

Q. According to the Stop DWI program, more than half of all Americans will be involved in an alcohol related traffic accident in their lifetime. That's beyond frightening.
A. That's more than will be involved in a handgun incident. We don't call these accidents, they're not. They're crimes or crashes. 54% of your violent crimes are committed under the influence of alcohol, but we don't call them accidents. We really like to use the term crime.

Q. So why isn't there more of a public outcry or public outrage?
A. There was for a while, for about the first 5 years. We didn't pass over 500 laws, because we twiddled our thumbs. Obviously, it was an issue the public got involved in. Lately, there's just been no leadership. I don't see any press on the issue. The only thing I've read lately on drunk driving is the fact that the statistics are going up, and a basic where is MADD. And that's the truth. That's all I've seen. I haven't seen any editorials on the subject. I haven't seen any major outcry. It's really been a shame.

Q. What would make anyone drink and drive today?
A. Stupidity. (Laughs ) I laugh when people say to me, well I don't know what my limit is. So, don't drink then, if you're gonna drive. The fact that they would even ask that question in the context of drinking and driving shows you the kind of mentality you're dealing with.

Q. When you're 18, you can have a driver's license, a credit card, many, and join the Armed Services. Yet. you have to be 21 to drink. Just how fair is that?
A. Well, I don't know how many people die at marriage ceremonies, nor do I know how many people die when they sign contracts or purchase credit cards. So, we're talking about something to me that is as different as apples and oranges. Also, we have different age groups for different levels of responsibilities. You can get a driver's license at 1G. but nobody wants to lower the drinking age to 16. You can't be a policeman until you're 21, or a President, until you're 35. So. that's just the way this country works in terms of responsibilities. As far as joining the Armed Services, when you join the military, you're not just given a gun and told to go kill. You're trained and you're supervised. Well, that doesn't happen when you drink. And there's a world of difference.

Q. If the driving age was upped to 21. would alcohol-related deaths go down?
A. Yeah. The problem you'd have with that is that parents would raise Holy Hell, because they hate chaperoning, driving around their kids. I think it's the parents more than the kids that want their children to be able to drive at 16. And. I find I'm an unusual parent in that I didn't allow either one of my children to have a license on the day they turned 16. I did not feel that just because you become 16 means you're automatically mature enough to handle a two-ton weapon.

Q. Is there no solution to the DWI problem?
A. I think there are solutions to the drunk driving problem or I wouldn't have started MADD. What is happening now is the solutions are not being enforced; people aren't coming up with new ones, and the press is making statements that the laws didn't work, which is total nonsense. The laws in fact in many cases have worked, if you read the research appropriately. And in cases where it hasn't worked, it's because it's not being enforced. That's something we knew was going to happen. We knew it from the very beginning. We'd been warned of that, that if we go into things like mandatory jail, that the judges would not enforce the laws alone to solve the problem. You have to look at attitude, community awareness, publicity and programs. And those things unfortunately, haven't been consistent. There's simply no leadership in the movement. There's no activism. When people don't have a sense of involvement, they become very apathetic. And that's what you have, apathy. That's my speech that I give. You can make a difference.

Q. You're no longer involved with MADD. Why?
A. I left it because I got caught in a power struggle and a take over attempt that was my second in 5½ years. 1 decided if people wanted to go through that much hassle to control an organization, that was fine, and it was time for me to go on to other things. It was a good thing for me to leave. I needed to grieve for my daughter, which I had not done, and I needed to get on with my own life.

This interview is respectfully dedicated to the memory of Katherine Kovach Marshfield. who lost her life to a drunk driver on August 22. 1987. while walking on South Avery Ave.

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