January 2018 e-newsletter

Noreen Dinndorf – Victim Services Specialist

It was with great sadness that we said goodbye to Victim Services Specialist Noreen Dinndorf in December 2018 as a result of downsizing. Noreen was with MADD Northern Virginia for almost 16 years and was beloved by the victims she served. She asks that we convey that she will miss her victim services and highway safety colleagues, and especially how much she will miss the victims she has met and with whom she feels fortunate to have developed close relationships. Noreen is enjoying spending time with her new grandson Declan while deciding on her future plans.

Virginia Joins “Toward Zero Deaths”- National Strategy on Highway Safety

Governor Northam announced the new ‘Towards Zero Deaths’ campaign and is urging Virginians to help change the Commonwealth’s traffic safety culture so we can achieve the goal of reducing the number of traffic-related serious injuries and deaths to zero. Toward Zero Deaths (TZD) National Strategy on Highway Safety (the National Strategy) is a nationwide movement that’s brings together all traffic safety stakeholders to develop a common vision and roadmap toward a future of zero traffic safety deaths, including impaired driving.

In 2017, there were 127,375 crashes, 65,306 injuries and 843 fatalities in Virginia. 7,285 of the crashes were alcohol related (5.72%) 4,430 of the injuries were alcohol related (6.78%) and 248 of the fatalities (29.42%) were alcohol related. Statistics Source: VA DMV Highway Safety Office

NHTSA Releases 2017 Impaired Driving Fact Sheet

Did you know that in Virginia, between 2008 and 2017, the number of drivers over the age of 55 with a BAC of .08 or above who were involved in fatal crashes went up? Ages 55-64 up 3%, Ages 65-74 up 3%, Age 75+ up 2%. The number for all other age categories went down - the age 21-24 category went down by 7%! Find out more national and State data by clicking on 2017 Alcohol Impaired Driving Traffic Safety Fact Sheet here.