Allstate Foundation Donates $5,000 to DWI Resource Center

For Immediate Release

September 16, 2005

Contact:    Linda Atkinson, Executive Director - (505) 881-1084

Albuquerque, NM - The Allstate Foundation has contributed $5,000 to the DWI Resource Center to support the Center's student-based DWI court monitoring program and its efforts to provide DWI data, analysis, and information to the public.

"The Allstate Foundation has consistently been at the forefront of community organizations working to reduce DWI in New Mexico for many years," said Linda Atkinson, Executive Direction of the DWI Resource Center. "Although we tend to think of DWI as a social problem requiring a governmental solution, we also need the help of socially-responsible community organizations and businesses to effectively combat the wide variety of factors contributing to DWI.

Allstate's generous contribution reflects their understanding of the crucial role the private sector plays in reducing DWI death and injury in New Mexico."

Allstate’s contribution was recommended by New Mexico Market Claim Manager Jose Cornejo. “Automobile and highway safety should be a concern for everyone driving or riding in a vehicle because of the possibility of being killed or injured by a drunk driver,” Cornejo said. “Fortunately, there are organizations like the DWI Resource Center that help make a difference. I’m proud that Allstate was able to contribute to this worthy cause.”

As part of the DWI Resource Center's community outreach projects, the court monitoring program is designed to expose volunteers and students to the legal aspects of DWI in Bernalillo County, and help them gain first hand experience in the court system. Program participants include both community volunteers and students enrolled in the Albuquerque Technical Vocational Institute (TVI) Service Learning Program. Participants are trained to observe, track, research, and record the disposition of active DWI cases in Bernalillo's Metropolitan and District Courts. As part of the program, participants also learn courtroom decorum, data collection techniques, and DWI laws in New Mexico. The data gathered by program participants are used to supplement the Center’s DWI research and analysis.

“New Mexico continues to be one of the worst states in the nation for alcohol- and drug-related fatal crashes,” said Linda Atkinson, Executive Director of the Center. “The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NTSHA) recently reported that DWI fatalities have decreased as a whole nationwide from 2003 to 2004. Unfortunately, our DWI fatalities actually increased in 2004. Our goal is to make New Mexico safer by reducing the incidence of DWI through public awareness and education. Educating students about the court system and reporting the outcome of DWI cases both fosters greater awareness of DWI issues in the next generation of civic leaders, as well as educating the public on the relative effectiveness of the legal system in combating DWI."

In 2004, the New Mexico Traffic Safety Bureau reported a total of 3,334 alcohol-related crashes in New Mexico, which killed 219 people and injured another 2,576 people. Among those killed were 33 teenagers. In Bernalillo County, there were 1,117 alcohol-related crashes in 2004 which killed 30 people and injured 501. The University of New Mexico Division of Government Research estimates the total economic impact of these crashes to be near $1 million dollars last year, or an average cost of $515 for every person in New Mexico.

Volunteers or students interested in the Center's court monitoring program should call the DWI Resource Center at (505) 881-1084 for more information.

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About the DWI Resource Center
The DWI Resource Center is a tax-exempt 501(c)3 New Mexico organization formed to reduce the social and economic impact of DWI through public awareness, education, prevention programs and research. The Center also provides assistance to victims and serves as a central clearinghouse for information on DWI and victims' rights.

About the Allstate Foundation
The Allstate Foundation is an independent, charitable organization made possible by the Allstate Corporation. Allstate and The Allstate Foundation sponsor community initiatives to promote safe and vital communities; tolerance, inclusion, and diversity; and economic empowerment. The Allstate Foundation believes in the financial potential of every individual and in helping America's families achieve their American dream.