The Century Council is now the Foundation for Advancing Alcohol Responsibility (FAAR)
For almost 30 years I have been involved with traffic safety: as an assistant prosecutor in the courtroom, a trainer of prosecutors and law enforcement, and Director of the National Center for DWI Courts and now, as a traffic safety consultant. I work with governmental agencies, non-profit organizations, and businesses, each focused on saving lives and making our roads safer. One of the most impactful, responsive and respected organizations I have interacted with is The Century Council.
A Strong Partner in the Fight Against Impaired Driving
The Century Council has been a great partner in the fight to end impaired driving
When I needed information on best practices to respond to the hardcore drunk driver, or guidelines for interacting with today’s youth in addressing the problem of underage drinking, The Century Council had the knowledge and the tools. When searching for reliable statistics on the impact of impaired driving or to learn about effective programs targeting underage drinking, The Century Council’s website was one of the first sites I visited.
Traffic safety requires better engineering, more education and stepped-up enforcement. Engineering efforts focus on improving road design. Education endeavors provide a strong prevention message before we make a bad mistake. Enforcement actions confirm that law enforcement officers and those in the court system will not tolerate behavior that puts all of us at risk. Traffic safety demands all three to work in concert, each using its strengths to support the others. Every traffic safety organization or business supports one or more of those three tactics.
The Century Council’s programs, such as IKnowEverything or Ask. Listen. Learn. Kids and Alcohol Don’t Mix educate our youth. Promising Criminal Justice Programs and the National Hardcore Drunk Driving Project support enforcement’s work. These and other programs from The Century Council allow me and others to share a powerful message with the community and ensure that the criminal justice system does its part to end drunk driving.
A New Direction
FAAR has a bold new plan and will continue to think big
Yet, now The Century Council no longer exists. That would have been extremely bad news for traffic safety advocates, if it weren’t followed by great news. The knowledge, the programs, the message and the support still exist, with the added promise of even stronger messages and greater tools. Enter the Foundation for Advancing Alcohol Responsibility (FAAR), successor to The Century Council, with an even bolder ambition of saving lives.
Over the past 23 years The Century Council was a leader in the fight to end impaired driving and underage drinking, and it has been my honor to work with this exceptional organization. Their work provided a strong and unqualified message that impaired driving and underage drinking must stop. Significant decreases in these areas have occurred, yet more must be done. Drunk driving and underage drinking still persist. The fight continues. I am certain that FAAR will step up where The Century Council left off and take the message and the fight to new heights.
The Fight Continues
Many years ago, a movie talked about a galaxy that was far, far away – where dreams were possible, magic happened and beings of all kinds fought for a better life. That galaxy is here, and now, in the effort to make our roads safer. I have a dream, a dream that our roads will be safer, and I continue in the fight to end impaired driving and stop underage drinking. Knowing that FAAR is standing shoulder to shoulder in that fight, I have no doubt we will be successful in creating a better life for all, making roads safer and, ultimately, saving lives.
