MADD Canada Teams With NLC to Bring Sober Driving Message to NL Students

OAKVILLE, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - Sept. 26, 2012) - Long weekends at the cottage mean sunshine, afternoons on the lake and campfires. But when people mix alcohol and/or drugs with driving, these weekends can also mean crumpled cars, injuries and deaths. Long Weekend, MADD Canada's latest School Assembly Program, takes students on a weekend getaway that quickly turns to tragedy when an impaired young man gets behind the wheel.

Long Weekend is currently being shown at schools throughout Newfoundland and Labrador, including a special presentation today for students at St. Kevin's High School featuring provincial sponsor Newfoundland Labrador Liquor Corporation (NLC). Today's presentation is one of the 25 being sponsored by NLC across the province.

Shown on a giant screen, MADD Canada's School Assembly Program brings high-energy drug and alcohol-impaired driving awareness and risk education messaging to the world of education. The program follows Brian, his brother Malcolm, girlfriend Jessica and best friend Raj on a trip to the cottage. The friends are drinking, smoking pot and making increasingly risky decisions. The weekend takes a horrific turn when an impaired Brian drives into town with Jessica.

The fictional story is then followed by the emotional and moving real-life stories of four people who were killed in impaired driving crashes.

"At the end of the show, we want students to truly understand that impaired driving is not an 'accident'. It doesn't just happen; someone chooses to get behind the wheel impaired," said MADD Canada Chief Executive Officer Andrew Murie. "As new drivers and drivers-to-be, these students can establish safe, sober driving habits and attitudes now to carry into adulthood. We don't want to lose one more young person to impaired driving."

Impaired driving takes a huge toll on Canadian youth:

• Nearly 50 per cent of all road crash deaths involving 15 to 24 year olds are alcohol-related.
  
  
• In 2009, approximately 350 young people were killed and 41,000 were injured in impairment-related crashes.
  
  
• Also in 2009, 16-25 year olds constituted just 13.7 per cent of the population, but accounted for nearly 31.1 per cent of all alcohol-related crash deaths.
  

MADD Canada thanks NLC for its partnership in our effort to educate youth about the dangers of impaired driving. With their support, Long Weekend will be delivered to thousands more students in Newfoundland and Labrador.

"Helping educate youth about the extreme dangers of impaired driving is an important part of NLC's commitment to social responsibility," said David Frew, Vice-President, Human Resource, NLC. "We are proud to work alongside MADD Canada to impress upon students the importance of never driving impaired and never riding with an impaired driver."

The School Assembly Program has been a cornerstone of MADD Canada's youth services since 1994. More than one million students will see Long Weekend, and the French language program called Dommages, across Canada during the 2012-2013 school year.

About MADD Canada

MADD Canada (Mothers Against Drunk Driving) is a national, charitable organization that is committed to stopping impaired driving and supporting the victims of this violent crime. With volunteer-driven groups in more than 100 communities across Canada, MADD Canada aims to offer support services to victims, heighten awareness of the dangers of impaired driving and save lives and prevent injuries on our roads. For more information, visit www.madd.ca.

About NLC

Newfoundland Labrador Liquor Corporation (NLC) is a provincial crown corporation responsible for managing the importation, sale and distribution of beverage alcohol within the province. NLC operates 24 corporate run Liquor Stores, services 122 Liquor Express agency stores and distributes to more than 1,700 licensees. NLC has many roles - it is a retailer, manufacturer, exporter and an employer. Through all of these activities, social responsibility is a common thread. Being involved in the communities in which we do business is important to NLC. Through our retail stores, and with the dedication of our employees, NLC participates in various socially responsible initiatives throughout the year from fundraising campaigns to alcohol awareness and education programs. For more information, visit www.nlliquor.com.