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But in the 80's, when this fall took place, MADD Canada wasn't around (it was formed in 1990) and driving laws were a lot more lax.

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Late 80s is pretty close to 1990, and I'd bet MADD USA was active in Canada before they actually created a formal organization. Not that I really know that for sure.

In general (I was around in the late eighties) I'd say that that's the time when drunk driving basically became socially unacceptable in Canada. I think it's still acceptable in the US to a much greater extent. Whether that was because of MADD or not, I don't know.

social acceptability is the big problem. driving is the only activity most people commonly engage in that routinely kills people. It needs to be taken more seriously and the step towards that isn't legislation it's making it socially unacceptable for people to drive recklessly.

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