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CAID drives home holiday reminder

by jmaloni
Sat, Dec 1st 2012 07:00 am

Billboard campaign urges drivers to not text or drink and drive

Volunteers with Crusade Against Impaired Driving are urging drivers across our area to not text or drink and drive this holiday season with their second annual CAID holiday campaign.

Through the support of Lamar Advertising, billboards have been placed in West Seneca and Kenmore* to remind drivers of the dangers of texting and/or drinking while driving with a very powerful message and photo of an innocent life lost at the hands of an impaired driver. The billboards will be up throughout the holiday season - through the beginning of January.

In 2010, more than 10,000 people were killed in alcohol-impaired driving crashes nationwide - one every 51 minutes, according to the most recent data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. During the holiday period, 21 to 24-year-olds repeatedly make up the highest percentage of impaired drivers.

"I'm hoping that this billboard of my sister reminds people of the countless lives lost at the hands of drunk and texting drivers. Our holidays won't be the same because of a drunk driver, and that's the case for thousands of families like ours. A young woman was torn from our lives at the prime of her life," said Deanna Russo, executive director of CAID Inc. She started the non-profit organization after her younger sister lost her life in March 1998 in a DWI-related crash.

According to AAA, the prevalence of drunk driving is reflected in the fact that more than 1 million people are arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol in the U.S. each year - equating to two arrests every minute.

CAID is dedicated to the memory of Karen Kwiatkowski, a young woman whose life was tragically cut short by a drunk driver. Through education, advocacy and awareness, its mission is to save lives that are tragically lost daily at the hands of drunk drivers. CAID aggressively works to inform people about the dangers of drunk and texting while driving and the threat impaired drivers pose to the community. CAID's message goes beyond the classroom and extends to everyone impacted by DWI, including those who have the power to change DWI policies and laws.

Visit CAID at www.caidonline.com.

*Locations of the CAID Holiday Campaign Billboards:

  1. Southwestern Boulevard at Transit Road - West Seneca

  2. Kenmore Avenue between Delaware Avenue and Elmwood Avenue - Kenmore

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