South Africans Against Drunk Driving (SADD)
SADD is an organization started by Caro Smit, a Psychiatric Social Worker, Alcohol and Drug Counselor and Educator. Caro has worked in this field for the past 10 years and lives in Pietermaritzburg. Her son Chas Smit (lead guitarist of the band PLUSH) was killed in a drinking and driving incident on September 18th 2005. This tragic event has inspired Caro to start the organization in January 2006.
Mission
- To Stop drunk driving
- To Protect our family from needless deaths
- To Make a difference
Objectives
- Create awareness of the Drinking and Driving problem in South Africa, and work with the Law and others, to pressurize the Government to implement proper and prohibitive law. Responsible driving generally only comes about because people are afraid of the legal and financial repercussions of their actions.
- Ask for frequent random breath alcohol testing (RBT) all year.
- Ask for Drivers licenses to be suspended as per the National Road Traffic Act. 1st offence - 6mths; 2nd offence - 5yrs; 3rd or subsequent offence - 10 yrs or more.
- Recommend Professional drivers’ blood alcohol level (BAL) change from .02g per 100ml, too, 00g per 100ml.
Test Professional drivers routinely i.e. truck, bus and taxi drivers. - Ask for the introduction of a graduated sentencing and fining system, according to the number of drinks a person is over the legal limit. (As in the fining system that has been implemented with speeding.)
- Implementation of referral of drunk drivers and severely intoxicated trauma patients for substance abuse treatment. This should include information about Units of Alcohol, and the effect of alcohol on driving skills.
- To publish the names and Blood Alcohol Level/Breath Alcohol Content, (BAL/BAC) of offenders in each Newspaper, around the country.
- Request the Government to appoint more Policemen, to assist with drink – driving issues, including charging drunk drivers, accompanying them for blood tests, and taking statements after car accidents.
- Request the Government to have Traffic Officers on duty for 24 hours a day, and especially after 12 pm on Friday and Saturday nights, when many accidents happen. Increase no of Traffic Officers.
- Provide, via the website, and in other ways, for information to be given to the public, about alcohol, and especially in relation to drinking and driving, and about D/D court cases. Talks, articles, posters on Drinking and Driving / Effects on Driving Skills, Units of Alcohol, etc.
- Suggest that no open canisters of alcohol should be allowed in a vehicle.
For more information on SADD / South Africans Against Drunk Driving visit the website www.sadd.org.za
