REMOVE INTOXICATED DRIVERS (RIDUSA, INC.)

Founded in 1978, this volunteer grass-roots organization (P.O. Box 520, Schenectady, NY 12301; 518-372-0034) is devoted to efforts to deter impaired driving, help victims seek justice and restitution, close loopholes in DWI (driving while impaired) laws, and educate the public on the scope of impaired-driving tragedies. RID activists have played a key role in the passage of reforms of the impaired-driving laws in many states, enabled passage of more than 500 anti-DWI laws, and monitored more than 15,000 court cases.

RID's victim-support activities, which are free, include providing long-term emotional support to victims of drunk-driving crashes and to their families; counseling victims and accompanying them throughout all phases of criminal prosecution of the offender; assisting victims in obtaining compensation; and referring victims and their families to appropriate supportive agencies. Court monitoring and research activities include monitoring the efforts of police, prosecutors, magistrates, and judges in drunk-driving cases through research and analysis of local court records, and reporting these findings to the public. RID's public awareness and education activities are extensive. Members organize public meetings; present educational talks to community and religious organizations; participate in forums, exhibits, and media events; supplement high school driver-education classes; and support SADD (Students Against Driving Drunk) and other similar student groups. They study and report on alcohol-related vehicle and traffic laws; support concepts such as designated-driver and alcohol-server education, and promote SNAP (a Sane National Alcohol Policy), which advocates raising taxes on alcohol, curbing campus beer promotions, and airing public-service advertising to counter all broadcast alcohol commercials.

RID is organized into autonomous chapters, with more than 150 chapters in at least forty-one states in the United States and a national group in France. Financial support comes from member dues, government and corporate grants, charitable contributions, and memorial gifts. Information on how to organize a RID chapter is available from the national office in Schenectady, New York.

(See also: Accidents and Injuries from Alcohol ; Dramshop Liability Laws ; Drunk Driving ; Mothers Against Drunk Driving )

Faith K. Jaffe

rid / rid/ • v. (rid·ding; past and past part. rid or archaic rid·ded) [tr.] (rid someone/something of) make someone or something free of (a troublesome or unwanted person or thing): we now have the greatest chance ever to rid the world of nuclear weapons. ∎  (be rid of) be freed or relieved from: she couldn't wait to be rid of us.PHRASES: be well rid of be in a better state for having removed or disposed of (a troublesome or unwanted person or thing).get rid of take action so as to be free of (a troublesome or unwanted person or thing).

rid clear (a space); set free from, of XIII; disencumber of XVI. — ON. ryðja (pt. ruddi, pp. ruddr).
Hence riddance XVI.

RID Physics radiation-induced defect
• Physics radiation-induced diffusion