Ferrari Joins MADD

(L. to r.): Domenico Pinto, owner of Ferrari Driving School, Cecilia Wolf, victims' advocate, MADD Queens chapter, and Michaelangelo Pinto, Ferrari Driving School director of operations, at the school DUI Awareness Day August 24. Faced with the unfortunate example set by a number of celebrities in the course of the past year, Domenico Pinto, owner of Ferrari Driving School, felt the school, which he operates with his two sons, Giancarlo and Michaelangelo, has a responsibility to educate the public that driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs (DUI) is irresponsible and should not be tolerated. Awareness must be raised to counter the examples that some socalled celebrities have set, Pinto feels.

Working with Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), Ferrari Driving School, the largest driving school in the New York Metropolitan area, and which has taught safe, responsible driving techniques for more than 40 years, on August 24 started a campaign to educate the public on preventing unsafe driving. A driving expert gave tips and in-depth explanations on preventing DUI incidents at the school's technical center, 35-28 19th Ave., Astoria, and Cecilia Wolf, victims' advocate for the Queens chapter of MADD, who lost her mother to a drunk driver, also gave a personal slant on the issue.

Michaelangelo Pinto, Ferrari Driving School director of operations, told the audience at the school's technical center that according to the August 20 issue of USA Today, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration had released data showing there were 13,470 deaths in 2006 involving drivers and motorcycle operators with a BAC (Blood Alcohol Content) of .08 or higher and that in 2005, 13,582 people died.

"Sadly, starting about a year ago, a spate of celebrity DUI incidents began that garnered great attention from the press," Ferrari said. "Unfortunately, some of these cases were dealt with in a carnival-like atmosphere. What message was being sent to young drivers, all drivers for that matter? There seems to be a fascination with celebrities behaving badly in our society. Some of the famous people who have been involved in DUI incidents have gotten a slap on the wrist, plea bargained, what have you. I am not going to mention any names today, because I do not seek to make these people more famous for their irresponsibility or alleged irresponsibility.

The main way to prevent drunk driving is ongoing education. Awareness is key. The perception by some, that drunk driving is cool because some celebrity did it, no one got hurt and or they got a slap on their wrist, is dead wrong. Literally.

Pinto complimented MADD as "one of the few groups that has consistently been a stalwart against the plague of unsafe driving. Their work against this scourge has been ongoing. Their manifest outrage has been continuous", he declared. However, he pointed out, "we, our society, needs to become more involved in stopping drunk driving".

To this end, Pinto and the school together have devised the Ferrari Three Point Plan against drunk driving:

1) Increase education. Starting this month, Ferrari Driving School will reach out to the city of New York- specifically the city council- to have a day each month set aside as Safe Driver Awareness Day of the Month. Ferrari will hold a free seminar each designated day of the month to help educate against drunk driving and encourage other driving schools to do the same.

2) Ferrari will work vociferously with MADD to get laws involving DUI changed. The days of a slap on the wrist must end. "Maybe if a drunk driver- someone who was not in an accident, someone who did not hurt anyone- lost their license for a decade, was fined $10,000 and went to jail for a mandatory minimum of three months, we would see the casualties from this terrible irresponsibility come down," Pinto said. "I, for one, believe so. For those who are in accidents, for those who kill people, the penalties must truly be upgraded to fit the crime. We must think of the victims."

3) Starting August 24, Ferrari encourages people to boycott any and all products that involve in any way, shape or form, celebrities- any people for that matter- that have been convicted of DUI or taken some plea as regards DUI. "We the people have power," Pinto declared. "While I won't get into specifics, we all know that broadcasters have been fired for making statements deemed irresponsible on air. Networks have bent to public perception and advertisers shake from the fear of boycotts. There are war mothers who have lost their children in battle who have gone on to significantly affect political discourse in this country. It is time we apply this to drunk driving, all unsafe driving for that matter. More than 13,000 deaths a year? Compare that to many diseases, to war deaths, etc. It is a huge number and it must be stopped."

Ferrari further intends to develop a program that involves expanding its Web site to include a DUI awareness section. "Photos of tragedies, pictures from the morgue, audios of survivors and their families will all be there," Pinto said. "We will discuss how parents or friends can spot people under the influence and how they can stop them from driving- things like taking away their keys, calling a taxi, even calling the police if necessary."

Pinto concluded: "Finally, we will be approaching the Department of Education of the City of New York and imploring them to initiate a mandatory social responsibility course in high school, for all students. One of the main topics will be DUI and how it ravages society."

The owners and staff of Ferrari Driving School also realize that drivers, passengers and pedestrians face other threats on area roadways in the form of distractions. "In this technological age of cell phones, GPS and iPODs drivers are becoming more occupied with these gadgets instead of paying attention to the road," Pinto said. " One major issue we feel needs to be tackled is TWD- Texting While Driving. Texting while driving can pose as great a threat as driving while intoxicated, and we at Ferrari Driving School look to raise awareness of the risks involved and make it illegal in New York state."