Ms. Lightner is honored to have been selected by many students as one of the subjects for the 2017 National History Day. The theme for this year is “Taking a Stand in History.” Unfortunately, Ms. Lightner cannot respond to each student as much as she would like and she is hoping that the following will provide answers to many of the questions that would be asked. If not, you may email her your questions. She will do the best she can to answer them in a timely manner.

We’re so glad we chose you because we have learned so much from this experience. We have learned how important drunk driving is and we have gotten the motivation to do something ourselves. Drunk driving is such a horrible thing and has done many terrible things to people and their families. Before this we knew drunk driving was bad, but after speaking with you and researching this subject, we have learned so much more. Your story is just incredible and so important. We want everybody to know about you and drunk driving. Our wish is to stop drunk driving forever. We want drunk driving to not even exist anymore, so that nobody will die from this. Thank you so much for inspiring us to do great things and really taking your time to talk to us. When you told us all of this information we were amazed with everything the internet doesn't tell us. The truth is, if we didn’t interview you, our web site would not be as good as it turned out. Our research and sources were very good, but the interview amazed the judges. The judges even told us that they were amazed with our work, we had great organization, our research was truly incredible, our primary sources were fantastic, and that we have great perseverance. They told us that we have a great website that we should be very proud of, and they overall were very complimentary. Because of your involvement and the hard work we did the judges gave us two awards. The first award was “Best Use Of Primary Sources” and the other award we got was the overall best junior division website in the whole San Diego county. That award allows us to compete for the entire state of California and we will be going to Sacramento in early May to present our website to the judges. If we were to win the State competition then we would go to Washington DC in June to compete for the whole country.

Thanks to you, you have changed our lives and saved so many other people. Once again, thank you so much for what you have done to the world.

Sincerely,

Mika Peck and Jordan Alstad

These questions were written by the students and answered by Candace Lightner.

Tell us a little bit about your early life? What type of home did you live in? How was school etc.?

I was an Air Force brat who lived in numerous countries, traveled a great deal, and went to numerous schools. I have lived in Guam, France, Germany, and Japan and travelled to more than 21 different countries. My mother was Lebanese and my father was from Kentucky. I am a Third Culture kid. I lived the longest in Sacramento and attended St. Mary’s Catholic School where I started a junior order of the nuns who taught there. I was always big on organizing things. School was interesting. I excelled in Latin and intensely disliked geometry. I loved working on the yearbook and always saw myself becoming a writer. My home was typical of a military brat and we lived on bases more than in civilian communities. I loved experiencing different cultures and strongly support diversity. I also believe that my background helped me deal with my daughter’s death and start an organization. My father said I was always rebellious and that may be why I started MADD.

What were the main reasons for the start of MADD?

My 13-year-old twin daughter, Cari, was killed in a hit and run drunk driving crime by a multiple repeat offender drunk driver who was out on bail from another hit and run drunk driving crime. I wanted to make sure this didn’t happen to someone else. Read this History.com article to learn more about it here, this People Magazine article and this article from The Los Angeles Times.

What really made you think that you should create MADD?

When I learned the man who killed my daughter probably would not spend any time in jail, much less prison and how it was not considered a serious crime. Read more about it here.

Was it difficult to “rise” with MADD? Was starting an organization difficult?

Incredibly difficult. I was grieving for my daughter, trying to earn a living and dealing with a socially acceptable crime that everybody committed including my friends and neighbors. Plus, I had never started a non- profit before. I was a mother and a real estate agent.

Who were the government officials that helped create MADD by passing laws and etc.?

There were no government officials that helped create MADD but there were some who were very supportive, including Steve Blankenship from the California Attorney General’s office, Spike Helmick from the California Highway patrol and Jim Fell from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Office.

What happened to the man who killed your daughter?

Not much. Thanks to the media attention we received he was sentenced to two years in prison but went to a halfway house instead where he drove his car to and from work and went home on the weekends. He still had a valid California Driver’s license. He was out after 16 months and promptly hit another woman while drinking and driving. Read the People Magazine article about it and Los Angeles Times article.

We are interested to know how the media first responded about your cause.

We had a national press conference in Sacramento, California announcing the organization in August of 1980 and we also had started a petition drive asking the California Governor to launch a task force on drunk driving. The media was there and I think the fact that we had just had the worst drunk driving crash in California history the week before probably made a difference. If I remember correctly, nine people were killed including 7 members of one family. (or it was 7 people killed including 5 members of one family) I then went to Washington DC and marched on the White House and asked the President to form a National Commission against drunk driving. So, at first the media was very receptive. After that I had to go visit them in their offices to get their attention. After we started chapters, the media in that state would pick up the story and we would then generate more media attention.

I appeared on the Merv Griffin Show on March 8, 1983.

Video courtesy of Reelin' In The Years Productions LLC

Can you share what steps were involved in getting President Reagan to raise the legal drinking age from 18 to 21 and can you share how you felt?

Briefly, we educated the legislators, media and the public, asked for a Presidential Commission to solve the drunk driving problem which was formed under President Reagan and one of the recommendations was to have uniform national drinking age bill. We met with congress members, encouraging them to pass the bill and created a great deal of literature on the subject which was handed out at every opportunity. We had numerous facts and statistics plus we had victim stories. We developed a map with what we called Blood Borders that we took everywhere that showed how young people were crossing over from one state to the other to drink, thereby killing themselves and others at the borders. Read this People Magazine article for more information.

Even if the crime against your daughter wasn’t committed, would you have taken a stand anyway?

I don’t know.

Do you believe if the current drunk driving laws were already in place in the 1970s, your daughter, Cari, would not have died, and other accidents crimes or crashes of the time would not be so recurring?

I do believe she would be alive and there would be fewer drunk driving crimes.

Do you stand by every action you have done for drunk driving or do you regret certain decisions you have made?

There is nothing to regret. I am credited with launching an organization that has saved hundreds of thousands of lives.

What seasons or national events do you feel like this message, to stop drinking and driving, are important? (such as prom or super bowl)

It is a problem all year long but we always place more emphasis on the issue during holidays, such as the fourth of July, Thanksgiving and Christmas. Events such as prom, graduation, major sport’s events, Friday night happy hours, are also times when drinking and driving can be more of a problem.

How do you feel when you hear about terrible drunk driving crashes or crimes when you have tried everything to prevent them?

Heartbreak and wondering what more I could do. Then I have to remind myself that even though I can’t make a difference with everyone, I have made a difference with many and those “many” no longer drink and drive.

Are you confident in the current drunk driving laws or do you still believe there is work to be done?

We need to tighten loopholes and enforce the laws we already have. My biggest concerns right now are drugged and distracted driving that are still socially acceptable.

Besides helping to push the government into creating laws to punish those responsible for these crimes, in what ways do you help the community on a daily basis?

Educate, advocate and use social media and our volunteers to get our messages across.

Why do you think people decide to still drink and drive, (or ride in a vehicle with an intoxicated driver) even after they know the consequences of their actions?

Beats me. In many cases these are criminal abusers of the drug alcohol and people live in an age of denial. They think it couldn’t happen to them and passengers are too afraid to offend their friends so they risk their life instead. Dumb.

What changes have you seen that have really made an impact in our society today because of these laws?

People support the designated driver program. They are also more inclined to call taxis or other transportation if they have had too much to drink. The penalties are more in line with the crime and the biggest change is that drunk driving is no longer socially acceptable. We would like to get everyone to support the Courage to Intervene because then we would really save lives!

What things do you still feel like need to change in order for these crimes to diminish?

Continued awareness about the seriousness of impaired driving, increased enforcement and enforcing the laws we already have plus implementing such programs as the 24/7 program, ignition interlocks (which should be on some people’s cars forever) and drug courts.

What were some obstacles you had along the way?

I think the biggest obstacle was the prevailing attitude that drunk driving was socially acceptable and not a crime. Everyone drank and drove, legislators did it, media it, comedians made jokes about it, etc. Another obstacle was that I was not taken very seriously in the beginning although that soon changed. However, those opposed to our mission tried to portray me as nothing more than a grief-stricken mother on a crusade. That was accurate but what they didn’t count on was that I also planned to succeed.

Why was it important for you to take a stand against drunk driving?

If you aren’t part of the solution, then you are part of the problem.

Do you think enough is being done today to continue to fight against drunk driving or do you think we could do more as a society?

I don’t think enough is being done, but I think the solution lies in ongoing education, enforcing the laws we already have, tightening the loopholes and encouraging people to intervene when someone they know someone is going to drive irresponsibly.

Did you ever think you would make that big of an impact?

Not a clue. I had never done anything like this before and I didn’t realize how serious the problem was or how socially acceptable drunk driving was until I started MADD. I was so caught up in my own grief and that of my family’s plus starting task forces around the country that I just didn’t have the time to think about impact.

Are you still technically in charge of this group?

Heavens no! I manage another non- profit that focuses on the 3 D’s, distracted, drugged and drunk driving, We Save Lives.

Many websites and articles have shown different reasons about why you left MADD, what is the true reason or reasons?

Simply put, I was burned out and I was spending more time dealing with board politics then the issue of saving lives.

What is your opinion on MADD's change of focus to underage drinking?

I haven’t thought about it but it is certainly an issue that needs addressing.

What is your opinion on the MADD organization? Do you continue to support them as an organization?

I support all organizations who work on highway safety issues.

We were wondering if you think it would be a good idea for us to interview an offender of drunk driving? Do you think it is necessary to your story and accomplishments?

You can see our video ReflectionsfromInside.

Can you give us some insight about We Save Lives and your connection with it?

I am the founder and current President.

What is the difference between what the MADD organization and the We Save Lives organization does to help the community?

We Save Lives is an international partner organization that focuses on the 3 D’s, drunk, drugged and distracted driving. We believe that drunk driving is a multi-faceted crime deserving multi-faceted solutions, not just one. We are very concerned that drugged driving is a growing threat on our highways and deserves far more attention and legislative action then it is getting. We also believe that we need to unite in our efforts to stop distracted driving and that is what We Save Lives provides, the opportunity to unite on highway safety issues and increase our impact.

For More Information, Watch Candace Lightner's Talk at Fist to Five Advisors