WHAT IS SADD?
SOUTH AFRICANS AGAINST DRUNK DRIVING is an NPO organization -Reg. No 055-255.
It was founded by the Alcohol and Drug Educator and Counsellor, and Psychiatric Social Worker, Caro Smit, after her 23year old son, Chas, was killed in September 2005, by a driver who had been drinking.

This Organization is not about anger and revenge. This is about learning to cope with the grief, and about being proactive and trying to save our other family members,and children Guy and Philippa, and the SA community as a whole from dying in car crashes.
AWARD
In 2006, in recognition of her efforts, Caro won South Africa’s premier recognition of road safety initiatives, the Evert van Niekerk “Road Safety Achievement of the Year Award”, beating OutSurance.

OBJECTIVE: The main objective of SADD is to create awareness of the Drinking and Driving problem in South Africa and to try to combat the use of alcohol and drugs by road users by working with the authorities to enforce the laws governing this abuse more strictly, and to educate the public about alcohol and drinking and driving/walking.

SADD is Project based.We are involved with 11 Projects in 2010.

SADD is doing work all the time, rather than just talking and attending Meetings.
This is to reach the whole of South Africa. SADD’s project in 2008 -2010-> is teaching about alcohol abuse and drinking then driving in 11 Universities.This funding was generously given by SAB, in 2008 & 2009, and we are now translating our Posters into Zulu, Sotho and Afrikaans.

In 2010 SAB have generously refunded SADD to continue in these Uni's, to roll it out to other Universities, and into Universities of Technicons, n the Cape, KZN and JH .

1 of SADD's Project in 2010,AlcoFreeTeens™ , is to get Schools to be Alcohol Free Zones, as was our mandate in the ASSA "A Sober South Africa" subgroup. AlcoFreeTeens™ and AlcoFreeFeb™ are awareness campaigns as well as fundraising oppurtunities to enable SADD to continue their work to bring down alcohol misuse in the Community and on our roads.

REASON:Every year in South Africa, over 18 000 people(not statistics) are killed and 150 000 injured in car crashes. Half of these are caused by alcohol, this percentage being actually twice the world average. Many of these victims are under the age of 30.This figure is predicted to rise by 80% by 2020. Cyclists and runners are very at risk. Pictures/Tributes to Victims

The problem is that the implementation of the South African drinking and driving laws are terribly forgiving. The laws are amongst the best in the world and although the South African Road Traffic Act allows a 10 year sentence for drunk driving and a R180 000 fine, the reality is very different.

At present most of the major role players in South African Road Safety are not effective. This includes the Government Departments such as Justice, the traffic authorities and the road users themselves, and we have been described as a nation who has no commitment to being responsible for our actions. Until the laws are properly enforced, South Africans will still think it is acceptable to drive drunk.

In South Africa dead victims of drink driving crashes have no rights.The accused has all the rights and the sympathy of the public and the Law.Drink Driving is often not seen as a crime.It is treated as a minor offence.For the dead/severely injured, and their family it is a calamity -one  that brings enormous emotional and financial problems.

SADD is attempting to stand up for the rights of the dead victims, their families(who have no rights in Court) and the injured victims and their families.

WHAT CAN WE DO?
We cannot and don’t have to wait for Government to act. As citizens we can make a difference by not committing crime on the road, by educating the public about the danger of drink driving and that a Road Traffic Incident involving a drink driver is not an accident, it is a choice. There are already some tools in place i.e. breathalyzers, Roadtrip, Goodfellas, but access to these tools needs to be made easier.

We can and must educate South Africans about DES’s - designated drivers- and how to use them, about Units of Alcohol and social responsibility and also the importance of being a role model.

Drink driving is out of hand in this country and somebody needs to make a difference and SADD is prepared to try and do just that.

SADD is trying to get Drink Drivers who kill or severely injure to automatically receive a Jail sentence(as allowed in our National Road Traffic Act) and to lose their License,or alternately have an Alcohol Interlock Device fitted,once they are out of Jail, and to receive alcohol education and treatment.SADD wants all convicted drink drivers to lose their License for 6mths,1 yr or 5 years,as appropriate to their BAC,and/or the severity of the crash as allowed in the National Road Traffic Act,or alternately to have Alcohol Interlock devices fitted and receive alcohol education and treatment.

HOW?
As there is no government funding for SADD, we need to use other means to communicate to the ordinary South African the dangers of drink driving and to do this we need money. SADD is a Section 21 Company Reg.: 2006/024402/08 and
PBO No.: 9300023011. Donations are Tax Deductible. Fundraisers are very important,and everyone can help.
No donation is too big or too small.
Acct. details: SADD. NedBank. Branch Code 13 40 25. Acct.1340 547 287

WHY?
Drink Driving is a CRIME, and we need to fight crime.
The statistics show that innocent people die needlessly every day as a result of drink driving/walking. Who knows who the next victim will be? It could be someone we don’t know, someone we know, someone in our close network of friends, someone in our family, it could even be you!
Drink Driving is a crime as serious as murder. It is very preventable. HELP US PLEASE!

Contacts: Caro Smit Cell: 082 821 3673 Tel 033 347 0103 Fax 086 517 1363.

30.3.09 Dear Caro, Our Traffic Authorities in  PE are definately getting more and more involved in the capture of drunken drivers over the whole year and not just at Christmas time.  In fact, you may have seen the taxi driver who killed six school children being sentenced to eight years in prison! ( No appeals)(Albeit, he was not drunk but just drove as if he was.) I place most of this blame  for this sudden activity at your front door. It is you who has woken the Traffic Management top management to get moving and we are most grateful for your efforts. Do tell us what happened to your case. Regards Rory and Tricia Nottingham. SADD Members & parents of Chalice Nottingham,who was killed by a Drunk Driver in 2004.

SADD RECOMMENDS ALCOHOL INTERLOCKS(ALCOLOCKS) FOR DRINK DRIVERS.

SADD recommends that these be fitted to the car of :

1. All repeat Drink Drivers whose Licence has not been removed.
2. Those whose Blood Alcohol level is more than 0.15g blood  / 0.75mg breath.(At this level research has shown that the person often  has an Alcohol Misuse problem, or is an Alcoholic.)
3. All drivers who have caused a death,or serious injury, if they are not Jailed.
4. ALL PUBLIC TRANSPORT VEHICLES SHOULD BE FITTED WITH INTERLOCKS - E.G.SCHOOL BUSES, TAXI'S, BUSES, AND FREIGHT TRUCKS.
   

Interlocks are used in Victoria State in Australia,Canada and in the USA in the recidivist drink drivers program.. Studies in America have shown that Interlocks can decrease repeat offences by 64%.

They are also used in many countries in Europe like Sweden,France,Spain etc.

They have been found to be very effective to prevent repeat drink driving. Repeat offenders often kill,and they account for 30% of the deaths(i.e. they often kill the 2nd time around).

MADD are now asking for Interlocks to be fitted in 1st offenders cars, to prevent deaths.

They have been found to be very effective to prevent repeat drink driving and deaths and injuries.... Repeat offenders often kill,and they account for 30% of the deaths.

The SADD car is now one of  the 1st private car in SA to be fitted with the Alcolock!

This is for demonstration and research purposes.