Waymo vehicles to display Red Ribbons saluting designated drivers
Staff Reports | Digital Free Press
Mothers Against Drunk Driving and Waymo have kicked off the 2022 Tie One On for Safety Holiday Campaign where the autonomous car company will displaying red ribbons on its fleet of cars as a reminder to always designate a non-drinking driver.
Tie One On for Safety is MADD’s longest-running designated driver campaign, according to a press release.
Launched in 1986, “tie one on” is a throwback to the days when people would use the term as slang for consuming alcohol.
For the past 36 years, MADD has used the phrase to demonstrate how everyone can tie a red ribbon – or more recently place red ribbon magnets or decals – on their car as a reminder to always designate a non-drinking driver.
That message is especially important when holiday travel, parties and family gatherings put more people on the roads, proponents of the effort say.
“As we enter the holiday season marked by celebrations with friends and family, it is important that we prioritize making a plan to arrive safely at our destinations,” said MADD National President Alex Otte in a prepared statement.
“Whether you’re going out or hosting friends and family at home, planning for a non-drinking driver or confirming your guests have one is the most important decision you can make.”
Waymo and MADD team up for awareness campaign
Mauricio Peña, Waymo’s chief safety officer, echoed a similar sentiment showcasing the brand’s commitment to safety on the roads this holiday season.
“For the last five years, Waymo and MADD have worked together to encourage people to get home safely by designating a driver,” said Mauricio Peña, Waymo’s chief safety officer. “At Waymo, we proudly display MADD’s red ribbons on our entire fleet — from our all-electric Jaguar I-PACEs in California to our Class 8 trucks in Texas — and we look forward to offering a safe mode of transportation to our Waymo One riders in Phoenix and San Francisco this holiday season.”
The holidays are traditionally more dangerous compared to other times of the year on America’s roads, and recent traffic fatality estimates by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration show fatalities reached a record high at the beginning of 2022. An estimated 9,560 people died in motor vehicle traffic crashes in the first quarter of 2022, which is the largest number of projected traffic fatalities in that time frame since 2002.
“We know the past two years have been like no other, and we hope everyone will do their part to stop this public safety crisis,” Otte said. “It will take everyone to stop these tragedies, and we are so grateful to Waymo for their partnership and for sharing our vision of zero deaths and zero injuries caused by drunk and drug-impaired driving.”
