Upper Marlboro Woman Ready for National MADD Position

"Jan, I’m on your side."

Those words jolted Jan Withers into action about two years after her 15-year-old daughter, Alisa, was killed in a 1992 drunk driving accident. Those words, spoken by Withers' husband Joe Sikes, came at a time of intense pain and anger.

But after hearing her husband’s words, Withers said a "light bulb" went off and she decided to turn her tragedy into something positive.

Withers, an Upper Marlboro resident who has volunteered for Mothers Against Drunk Driving in Maryland since 1992, will become the MADD national president July 1.

Withers says she first called MADD about four months after her daughter’s death. "I literally felt like I was going crazy, which is a very common thing for people to say when they’ve had a loved one that died," Withers said. "The person on the other end of the phone -- the victim advocate -- was just a wonderful, kind individual, and she never let go of me after that."

Although the next 20 months were agonizing for Withers and her family, going through the entire experience has helped her embrace life.

"We don’t get over it, we just live with it," Withers said. "And the pain softens, so I can genuinely say I am a happy person. I enjoy life. People who experience tragedies like this really value their relationships and the moments they have and everything, because we know how precious it is and it can be taken away from us.”

Jan Withers still holds a place in her heart for Alisa, though. "Just there under the surface is that hole in my heart, and I just miss her," Withers says with a sigh. "That’s all. I miss her, but it takes awhile. It takes a long time.”

For Withers, the best part of volunteering with MADD is supporting victims of drunk driving.  

"She’s somebody that doesn’t go through the world just focused on herself," Sikes said. "She goes through the world caring about everybody around her, and that’s really attractive."

When Withers steps out of the role of volunteer into the shoes of national president -- a paid position -- she says MADD will continue to work with Harvard Medical School on developing advanced technology in cars which will detect drivers’ blood alcohol content. If the number is at .08 or higher, the car won’t start.

"People will be able to choose this as an option in their car," Withers said.

MADD will also continue to work toward making ignition interlocks a part of every state’s punishment system for convicted drunk drivers. "We know through solid research that it reduces [relapses] of drunk driving by 65 percent," Withers said. "That’s a big deal."

Lastly, Withers will focus on mobilizing and bolstering the presence of  federal, state and local police units, especially at roadblocks.

"It works as a deterrent, it’s not just that people get caught," Withers said. "We know that high visibility law enforcement reduces drunk driving about 30 percent, and right up front."