What have been the effects of Students Against Driving Drunk in high school?

Answer 1

Since SADD's founding in 1981, impaired driving deaths among teens have dropped nearly 60%, a remarkable decline.

It's important to note that SADD changed its name in 1997 to "SADD, Inc." and encouraged chapters to use "Students Against Destructive Decisions" to emphasize that the organization has a "no use" message regarding underage drinking, and to reflect the organization's expanded focus on issues such as underage drinking and drug use; reckless, distracted, and drowsy driving; violence and bullying; and suicide prevention. As of 2004, chapters are prohibited from using the old name.

SADD is an organization, not a curriculum, so measuring its impact is difficult. However, a study in 1995 (Preusser et al) comparing schools with similar Demographics - some with SADD chapters, some without - revealed that:

* Students in schools with an active SADD chapter, as compared with students attending a school without an active SADD chapter, were exposed to substantially more information advocating efforts against drinking, impaired driving, and drug use.

* Students attending a school with an active SADD chapter, as compared with students attending a school without an active program, were more aware of and informed about underage drinking, impaired driving, and drug use.

* Students attending a school with an active SADD chapter, as compared with students attending a school without an active SADD chapter, expressed more positive reasons not to use alcohol and/or drugs.

* SADD chapters provide real benefits to participants in terms of personal growth, experience, and community perspective.

* A rigorous program such as SADD should be viewed as an important component of a total community strategy to address underage drinking and impaired driving. For more information, see http://www.sadd.org/prevention.htm.