Underage Drinking Prevention

Nationwide and MADD partner to eliminate underage drinking and drunk driving

Nationwide is a long-time partner and national sponsor of MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving). Together, our goal is to eliminate drunk driving and underage drinking.

Nationwide's Prom Promise, started in 1990, was our first program to combat underage drinking. In 2005, Nationwide and MADD created a year-round underage drinking prevention program called THINK for high school students across the country. THINK replaced Nationwide's Prom Promise.

Studies show it is parents who have the most influence over their teen's decision to drink alcohol. Parents who set clear ground rules, have clear expectations, and enforce clear consequences, have the most success preventing underage drinking. These parents also have children who drink less and drink less often underage. Also, studies shows that kids who drink with their parents present drink more and more often when their parents are not present.

That's why MADD created The Power of Parents: It's Your Influence, sponsored by Nationwide, a program geared to help parents talk to their children about underage drinking, by providing:

An online clearinghouse of the best resources and information to aid in the prevention of underage drinking
A community-based training program designed for MADD's field/volunteers that will engage local parents and enlist their support in reducing underage drinking.

History behind underage drinking prevention

Twenty-five years ago, President Reagan signed the national 21 minimum legal drinking age law. Since then, an estimated 25,000 lives have been saved on the roadways. Yet, underage drinking and teen drunk driving remains an issue.

That's why, as part of our sponsorship with MADD, we support the national campaign to eliminate drunk driving and support programs to reduce underage drinking, while enhancing teen driving safety. The campaign focuses on four areas:

Law enforcement – using the national campaign Over the Limit. Under Arrest and sobriety checkpoints to help deter people from drinking and driving.
Ignition interlock technology - A device placed in a person's vehicle, similar to a breath test, that tests an air sample to measure alcohol content. Detecting alcohol prevents the car from starting. Interlocks reduce future offenses by two-thirds, or a 20% drop in drunk driving. Nationwide and MADD support legislation to have these devices placed in all first-time DUI offenders' vehicles.
Advanced technology – Includes technology that won't let you drive the car if your blood alcohol content (BAC) is .08 or higher. A special panel consisting of car manufacturers and the government is assessing new technologies to meet these standards.
Public support – Public support is critical for these efforts and the campaign to eliminate drunk driving to succeed.

Learn more about Nationwide and MADD's effort to curb teen drunk driving

Nationwide is committed to saving lives and making roads safer for everyone with reliable auto insurance and teen car insurance coverage. Through these initiatives, we hope to increase teen driving safety, and eventually eliminate underage drinking and drunk driving altogether.

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