LEON COUNTY, Fla. (WTXL) — Driving while drunk, the Leon County Sheriff's Office calls it one of the biggest threats to our community.
And many of its victims are just children.
That's why Mothers Against Drunk Driving Tallahassee gave the Leon County Sheriff's Office "Carlie Bears" for deputies to give to help comfort, frightened children at child endangerment calls or crashes.
"Carlie Bears" are named after a 5-year-old girl named Carlie McDonald, who was killed by a drunk driver, her mother.
M.A.D.D. officials say the "Carlie Bears" are in her memory and that child victims need a comfort if they are involved in a crash or a law enforcement officer stops their parent or caregiver.
"We would love for them to have it in their vehicle so that if they do come across a child victim of drunk driving or child endangerment call they have the opportunity to give it to a child," said Kristin Allen, Executive Director of M.A.D.D. Northwest Florida.
Allen says she just wants people to know that driving while intoxicated is a 100 percent preventable crime.
If people can plan ahead, get a taxi, or find a designated driver we wouldn't have these tragedies on our roadways.
She says M.A.D.D. just wants drivers to get home safely.
