SADD: More Than Just Preventing Student Drunk Driving

Drunk Driver at Full Speed — Roseville, CA — Frank Penney Injury Lawyers

Read the blog from Frank Penney Injury Lawyers in Roseville, CA below.

Formerly known as Students Against Drunk Driving, S.A.D.D. began with a mission of preventing teen car accidents caused by driving under the influence of alcohol. The organization changed its name to Students Against Destructive Decisions in 1997 to address the vast array of issues impacting young adults today, including:

substance abuse
suicide
depression
bullying
violence
body image

Impressive Group Saves Lives

For more than 35 years, this impressive group has promoted a mission of saving lives by empowering young people to confront the risks and pressures that challenge them throughout their daily lives. Some notable accomplishments include:

receipt of the Edward G. Loveland Memorial Award
receipt of a letter of commendation from President Bill Clinton
an invitation to participate in the White House Leadership Conference on Youth, Drug Use and Violence
an invitation to a special White House event highlighting the decline in youth drug use

S.A.D.D. focuses attention on several issues that impact youth today, but their three core issues follow.

Bunch of Pills — Roseville, CA — Frank Penney Injury Lawyers

Teen Woman Using a Phone — Roseville, CA — Frank Penney Injury Lawyers

TEEN DRIVING SAFETY

S.A.D.D. supports driver’s licensing laws that establish phases for young drivers such as to permit phase, provisional phase, and unrestricted phase. They also support safety belt use, which is required by law in the state of California. One major safety issue of concern to S.A.D.D. is distracted driving, e.g. texting and driving, cell phone use, looking at something inside or outside of the vehicle, moving to music, grooming, and reaching for an object. As the number of teen car accidents due to distracted driving increases, public information about avoiding distractions becomes all the more relevant.

See our infographic on teen car accident statistics.

TEEN SUBSTANCE ABUSE PREVENTION

S.A.D.D. recognizes that teen substance abuse is neither healthy nor legal, particularly when it leads to teen driving accidents. A vast number of dangerous substances and prescription medications are easily accessible in schools, communities, and in the home.

Because alcohol-related fatality rates are twice as high for those 18-20 years of age as for those over age 21, S.A.D.D. has prioritized issues related to driving impairment. Alcohol makes a critical impact on cognitive functions such as vision, reaction time, depth perception, and judgment–made worse in children and adolescents because the brain is still developing.

Additionally, excessive alcohol consumption can be linked to risky and destructive behaviors, violence, inappropriate remarks, and potentially fatal mistakes. S.A.D.D. lobbies to pass drinking age laws that prohibit the purchase and possession of alcohol by minors by punishing adults, sellers, and servers who endanger the lives and safety of youth by supplying, purchasing, and serving alcohol.

S.A.D.D. opposes the legalization of marijuana because:

it can lead to increased use
it sends the message that marijuana is harmless
studies have conclusively shown that marijuana has an adverse impact on driving

Two large European studies found that drivers with THC in their blood were roughly twice as likely to be culpable for a fatal accident than drivers who had not used drugs or alcohol. Now that California has passed a law legalizing marijuana for adult use, it will become more important than ever to make sure teens follow the rules of the road and understand that California DUI laws encompass any mind-altering substance.

Anti Marijuana Sign — Roseville, CA — Frank Penney Injury Lawyers

Friends Talking to Each Other — Roseville, CA — Frank Penney Injury Lawyers

TEEN HEALTH & SAFETY PROMOTION

Promoting personal health and safety in teens is an important objective of S.A.D.D. In response to requests of students across the country, S.A.D.D. has started to address issues related to suicide, self-harm, depression, bullying, violence, and body image.

S.A.D.D. supports anti-violence programs in schools, which address increasingly prevalent issues such as hazing, bullying, relationship abuse, and gang activity. They also educate the public on how to recognize signs of abuse.

You Can Help Prevent Teen Car Accidents

One of S.A.D.D.’s organizational goals is to ensure that millions of teens each year benefit from their resources, and they do so by making it very easy to get involved. You can volunteer for your local chapter or start one in your community. S.A.D.D. is always looking for ways to make a positive stand on important issues facing teens and one of those ways is by educating the public.

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Tragic River Crash Claims Four Lives in San Joaquin County

By Frank Penney • August 14, 2025

Four peopl e lost their lives after a devastating solo-vehicle crash earlier this month in San Joaquin County. According to the California Highway Patrol, the incident occurred around 3:59 a.m. on August 4 when 20-year-old Julio Corraltitlan was driving a Dodge Charger northbound on Rindge Road. For reasons still under investigation, the vehicle veered off the roadway, striking an embankment lined with boulders and rocks before plunging into the White Slough, where it became completely submerged. Emergency crews rushed to the scene and located Corraltitlan in the driver’s seat and another person in the rear passenger area. Both were pulled from the water and transported to San Joaquin General Hospital, where they were later pronounced dead. Two additional passengers were recovered later by the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office dive team and were also pronounced deceased. Authorities believe alcohol may have played a role in the crash. Rindge Road, where the vehicle left the roadway, is a privately maintained road on Rindge Tract Island. CHP has not confirmed whether all four victims were recovered on the same day as the crash. This heartbreaking accident serves as a sobering reminder of the dangers of impaired driving and the devastating impact it can have on families and communities. Experience unparalleled legal representation with Frank Penney Injury Law , the esteemed recipients of the CAOC Trial Attorney of the Year award. With over two decades of dedicated service, our team has consistently delivered record-setting results for accident victims in Northern, Central, and Southern California. Enjoy peace of mind with our no upfront fees policy. Contact us today at 888-888-0566 or through our website www.penneylaw.com for a FREE consultation. Frank Penney Injury Law does not represent any of the parties mentioned above. Nevertheless, we sympathize with the victim and their families in this time of crisis.

DUI Crash in Murrieta, California Leaves One Dead, Driver Arrested

By Frank Penney • August 12, 2025

A tragic collision in Murrieta claimed the life of a woman and led to the arrest of a 39-year-old man suspected of drunk driving. Police say the crash happened around 5 p.m. Thursday near the intersection of California Oaks Road and Skyview Ridge. According to investigators, Jaime Ruiz Jr. was driving a pickup truck westbound on California Oaks when he allegedly ran a red light, slamming into a sedan passing through the intersection. Both vehicles spun to a stop from the force of the impact. Officers later determined Ruiz had one of his children in the truck at the time. The woman driving the sedan was rushed to a nearby hospital but was pronounced dead shortly after arrival. Her name has not yet been released. Police say Ruiz showed clear signs of alcohol impairment and was arrested on suspicion of DUI gross vehicular manslaughter, DUI causing injuries, and child endangerment. He was booked into jail but released Friday morning after posting a $75,000 bond. Authorities placed his child in protective custody; the child was unharmed in the crash. Murrieta police are asking anyone with information to call (951) 461-6899. Experience unparalleled legal representation with Frank Penney Injury Law , the esteemed recipients of the CAOC Trial Attorney of the Year award. With over two decades of dedicated service, our team has consistently delivered record-setting results for accident victims in Northern, Central, and Southern California. Enjoy peace of mind with our no upfront fees policy. Contact us today at 888-888-0566 or through our website www.penneylaw.com for a FREE consultation. Frank Penney Injury Law does not represent any of the parties mentioned above. Nevertheless, we sympathize with the victim and their families in this time of crisis.

Bicyclist Injured in Early Morning Collision on Vulcan Drive in Sacramento

By Frank Penney • August 5, 2025

An early morning crash in Sacramento left a bicyclist injured after being struck by a vehicle on Vulcan Drive. The incident occurred just after 7:29 a.m. on Tuesday, August 5th, in the 4300 block of Vulcan Drive, north of Arden Way, according to the California Highway Patrol (CHP). Initial reports described the situation as a vehicle versus bicycle collision. Emergency crews from the Sacramento Fire Department responded quickly and transported one individual—complaining of pain—to Kaiser Permanente Medical Center in North Sacramento for further medical evaluation. The full extent of the injuries is still unknown at this time. The driver involved in the crash stayed at the scene and cooperated fully with authorities. CHP officers continued to assess the situation and requested updates on the severity of the victim’s injuries as part of their ongoing investigation. The cause of the collision remains under review, and no further details have been released. Experience unparalleled legal representation with Frank Penney Injury Law , the esteemed recipients of the CAOC Trial Attorney of the Year award. With over two decades of dedicated service, our team has consistently delivered record-setting results for accident victims in Northern, Central, and Southern California. Enjoy peace of mind with our no upfront fees policy. Contact us today at 888-888-0566 or through our website www.penneylaw.com for a FREE consultation. Frank Penney Injury Law does not represent any of the parties mentioned above. Nevertheless, we sympathize with the victim and their families in this time of crisis.

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