PICKENS COUNTY — Sen. Larry Martin has been serving his community for many years and has received numerous awards and citations for that service and Mothers Against Drunk Driving have recognized Martin once again.
The National Office of MADD, in an effort to highlight Martin’s efforts, named him the South Carolina Legislator of the Year for his work in the Palmetto State to make the state’s roads safer through legislative efforts.
The organization cited Martin’s “unwavering and tireless efforts to advance the mission of Mothers Against Drunk Driving in South Carolina” as a leading factor in his receiving the honor.
MADD also noted Martin’s recent work on legislation to enhance alcohol server training, enhance field sobriety testing, and an initiative to enact first offender ignition interlock requirements.
“I’m honored to receive this recognition from MADD,” Martin said in accepting the award. “They have been a tremendous ally in every legislative effort that I’ve been involved in to reduce alcohol and substance abuse, most especially in improving our DUI laws. This will continue to be among my top priorities in 2016 along with issues of alcohol and substance abuse by our state’s young people.”
According to the most recent annual statistics on alcohol-related fatalities, 335 people were killed on South Carolina’s roadways last year, representing 43.7 percent of all total traffic deaths. That is a 3.7 percent decrease from the previous year.
MADD was organized following the May 1980 death of 13-year-old Cari Lightner in Fair Oaks, Calif. In that case a three-time offender, released just two days before, struck Lightner as she walked home from softball practice. Lightner was thrown 125 feet and the offender fled the scene of his fourth alcohol related incident before being apprehended and charged with the girl’s death. The organization’s goal is to eradicate alcohol related incidents on America’s roadways.
