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Tenn. MADD, Nationwide launches holiday "Tie One On" campaign

madd.org

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (WMOT/TNNS)  --  Drunk drivers make the holidays the deadliest time of the year on Tennessee highways.

Mothers Against Drunk Driving Tennessee spokesperson Kate Ritchie says that because of the increased risk, MADD is once again partnering with Nationwide Insurance for the "Tie One On For Safety" campaign.

"We are asking individuals to recognize themselves as a designated driver by stopping by any of the 50 Nationwide offices in the state of Tennessee or any of the MADD offices to pick up a red ribbon and tie it to the antenna of their car to indicate that they are a designated driver."

Last year in Tennessee, more than 200 people were killed in alcohol-related crashes across the state. Ritchie says she hears a lot of heartbreaking stories.

"Being in this field and hearing so many heartbreak stories of parents that have lost their child or loved ones that have lost their spouses. And they continue to share their story, to fight drunk driving because it's a heartbreak that nobody can understand to lose a loved one to a 100-percent preventable crime."

The number of alcohol-related traffic crashes in Tennessee has been trending down over the past decade, but Ritchie notes that they still account for about a quarter of all traffic fatalities.