St. Louis MO: A non-profit organization, which spearheaded a drive to pass safe driving legislation in Missouri, later mirrored in California, is opening a chapter in Texas.

Concerned Americans for Responsible Driving (CARD), which led a four-year crusade in Missouri to get the Impaired Driver Law passed in 1999, is hopeful a similar law will be passed in Texas. The law allows those closest to the situation-family members, law enforcement and physicians, to report impaired drivers through a signed affidavit to state driving officials. The state then determines what action to take; require a driving test, take a physical, suspend, revoke, or limit driving. Age is not a factor in the new law.

During 2004, some 2,100 Missouri drivers were reported to the state under the Impaired Driver Law. Roughly, one third, or 700 drivers, had their licenses revoked.

Heading the Texas chapter is attorney Jenna Beller Donatiello of Dripping Springs, TX. She and her husband, Aron, are parents of two children. Jenna has a personal reason for crusading for a similar law in Texas. On October 24, 2003, she lost her mother and grandparents in a one-car accident, when her grandfather, age 82, driving the trio from Oklahoma to Oregon, ran off the road and struck a tree. All three were killed under ideal weather conditions.

Hearing about the Missouri Impaired Driving Law, which has been called the fairest, strongest, and cleanest driving law today, Mrs. Donatiello contacted CARDS founders Karen and Sheldon Suroff in St. Louis desiring to get a similar law passed in Texas. Her initial contact to the Suroffs noted, "I live in Texas and this organization is exactly what I have been looking to start in Texas."

Mrs. Donatiello hopes her efforts will enlist others in Texas to assist in her goal. She can be reached directly through her e-mail address at jenna@donatiello.com