For Rhonda Campbell, a victim services advocate with Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), the consequences of drunk driving are deeply personal.<\/p>\n
Campbell was just 15 years old when her 12-year-old sister, Irene Ruth Harris, was killed by a drunk driver in 1981.<\/p>\n
“A four-time repeat offender ran a stop sign going 60 to 100 miles per hour, hit the car my little sister was riding in head-on and killed her and the driver of the car,” Campbell said.<\/p>\n
More than four decades later, Campbell says the loss still affects her every day.<\/p>\n
Today, she serves as California’s lead victim services specialist for MADD, helping families navigate the aftermath of impaired-driving crashes. Her work includes providing emotional support, assisting victims through the court process, and helping families cope with grief.<\/p>\n
According to Campbell, impaired driving remains a persistent threat on roadways across the country.<\/p>\n
“Every 39 minutes in the United States, somebody dies at the hands of an impaired driver,” she said.<\/p>\n
Her message comes as California enters what safety advocates often call the “100 Deadliest Days,” the period between Memorial Day and Labor Day when traffic fatalities, particularly among teens, tend to increase.<\/p>\n
“The period between Memorial Day and Labor Day are the hundred deadliest days on our roads,” Campbell said. “All of our stats are going to go up during these 100 days, including the DUIs, and the unfortunate side of that, teen deaths are going to go up 15% in these next 100 days.”<\/p>\n
The California Highway Patrol says summer is one of its busiest times for DUI enforcement.<\/p>\n
“Summer is definitely one of our busiest times of year, especially for DUI enforcement,” said Officer Michael Harper of the South Sacramento CHP office. “We do tend to contact quite a bit more DUI-based violations in the summer than we do any other time of the year.”<\/p>\n
The CHP’s Maximum Enforcement Period runs through Sunday morning, with officers across the state increasing patrols and watching for impaired drivers.<\/p>\n
Campbell hopes sharing her family’s tragedy will encourage people to think twice before getting behind the wheel after drinking or using drugs.<\/p>\n
“People need to stop and put in perspective how much of a life-changing decision it can be to get in the car and just take the chance,” she said. “It’s not worth it.”<\/p>\n
CHP officials also urge drivers to remain alert on the roads. If you encounter a suspected impaired driver, officers recommend creating distance between your vehicle and theirs, safely pulling over when possible, and calling 911 or having a passenger make the call.<\/p>\n
Brandon Downs<\/a><\/p>\n contributed to this report.\n <\/p>\n