Living: One Less for the Road?

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MADD was founded in 1980 by Candy Lightner, 38, after one of her three children was struck and killed by a drunk driver while walking in a bicycle lane. A year later she said, "We've kicked a few pebbles, we'll turn a few stones, and eventually we'll start an avalanche." In these postavalanche days, MADD is getting just about all the laws it wants. A total of 37 states have "dram shop" laws or legal precedents holding servers of alcohol responsible for the acts of drunks. Happy hours, banned or restricted in 15 states so far, seem to be on the way out everywhere. And all states must raise their minimum drinking age to 21 by 1987 or risk losing federal highway funds. Even the insurance industry is now effectively part of the lobby against drinking and driving. Like many other groups, the Chicano Humanities and Arts Council in Denver had to cancel a party this year because no insurance was available if beer was sold to raise funds. "High court awards have scared underwriters to death," says Gene Glascock of the Colorado state division of insurance. One Denver eatery had its rates raised from $18,000 to $58,000 a year, a strong incentive not to serve drunks. In New Jersey, homeowners are worrying about suits from drunk-driving accidents. The state supreme court ruled last year that social hosts can be held liable for damage done by their drunken guests.

The Army has eliminated happy hours at its clubs and waggishly installed an "attitude-adjustment hour," an alcohol-free time when snacks and soft drinks are served at cut-rate prices. Says a Defense Department spokesman: "The Army is trying to disencourage drinking." A Pentagon directive says that starting June 1, all branches of the military must bring their policies on serving minors in line with local age restrictions. This means that with a few exceptions, younger G.I.s cannot be served alcohol on bases in states where the minimum drinking age is 21.

The liquor industry has kept a low profile, though there is some concern over "neo-prohibitionism" and the return of the old image of demon rum. "For most people, alcohol is something that makes life a little bit more pleasant," says Robert Beleson, president of Remy Martin Amerique. The distillers and brewers have taken no position at all on the raising of the minimum drinking age or attempts to limit hours of taverns and liquor stores. The Distilled Spirits Council of the United States has stepped up its ads counseling moderation, and still voluntarily keeps liquor commercials off television. Says Duncan H. Cameron, director of communications for DISCUS: "We have spent more than $10 million since 1972 getting across the message that drunk driving is an irresponsible abuse of both the privilege to drink and the privilege to drive."