Advocacy

The session on partnerships for safety program implementation focused on how public health models, when supported through strong cross sector collaboration, expanded the reach and impact of traffic safety efforts. The discussion emphasized that deterrence based approaches had long fallen short, especially in communities facing structural inequities, and that meaningful progress required strategies grounded in prevention, equity, and community engagement.

Participants examined the distinctions between traditional deterrence frameworks and public health informed models that addressed the upstream conditions contributing to traffic violence. The conversation highlighted that public health approaches recognized the systemic nature of harm and prioritized interventions that reduced risk before tragedies occurred. This included aligning transportation planning with community health goals, addressing environmental and social determinants of safety, and ensuring that programs reflected the lived experiences of those most affected.

The session underscored the importance of building partnerships with public health agencies, noting that these collaborations brought essential expertise in prevention, data interpretation, and community centered engagement. Participants reviewed examples of safety programs that demonstrated measurable outcomes when agencies worked together to address root causes rather than relying on isolated or punitive measures. The discussion reinforced that effective partnerships required trust, shared purpose, and a commitment to equity at every stage of implementation.

The conversation also addressed the tools and practices that supported the integration of health equity into traffic safety initiatives. Participants reflected on the need to identify disparities, understand their origins, and design interventions that prioritized communities historically harmed by disinvestment and unsafe infrastructure. The session affirmed that inclusive, evidence based programming became possible only when institutions acknowledged inequities and worked collaboratively to correct them.

The discussion reinforced that cross sector collaboration was essential to building safer, healthier communities. Public health models offered a framework for prevention and systemic change, while transportation agencies held the authority to redesign streets, manage speeds, and allocate resources. When these sectors worked together, communities were better positioned to prevent harm, strengthen accountability, and advance a culture of safety rooted in dignity and shared responsibility.

The discussion on what it meant to invest in a Safe System for all underscored that Vision Zero required a fundamental shift in how communities understood and approached roadway safety. The conversation emphasized that progress did not come from working harder or caring more, but from doing things differently. Participants examined how the Safe System approach challenged long standing assumptions and demanded upstream, preventative strategies that protected human life through design, policy, and institutional accountability.

The session explored the state of roadway safety in the United States and highlighted the persistent failures of traditional approaches that relied heavily on individual behavior, education campaigns, and enforcement. The discussion reinforced that the Safe System approach differed by recognizing that humans made mistakes and that the transportation system must be designed to prevent those mistakes from becoming fatal. This required slowing speeds, redesigning dangerous corridors, and investing in communities that had long been harmed by inequitable infrastructure and historic disinvestment.

Participants reviewed examples of Vision Zero in action across the country, noting that meaningful progress occurred when agencies aligned public health principles with transportation planning. The conversation addressed the need to right size the role of enforcement, acknowledging that enforcement focused on non safety related offenses perpetuated racial disparities and did not create safer streets. The session emphasized that public health frameworks offered a proactive, preventative lens that prioritized dignity, equity, and community wellbeing.

The discussion also examined the challenges that continued to impede Vision Zero efforts, including institutional silos, outdated practices, and resistance to systemic change. Participants reflected on the importance of leadership, cross sector collaboration, and community engagement in building a culture that valued human life over speed and convenience. The conversation highlighted that communities seeking federal Safe Streets and Roads for All grants benefited from grounding their work in the Safe System approach and ensuring that equity remained central to every decision.

The session affirmed that investing in a Safe System required a commitment to long term cultural and structural change. It demanded that institutions confront the root causes of harm, elevate community voices, and prioritize interventions that delivered community wide impact. The conversation reinforced that Vision Zero was not a slogan or a symbolic goal. It was a responsibility to build systems that prevented tragedies and honored the lives already lost to traffic violence.

The discussion on strong Vision Zero leadership within State Highway Safety Offices highlighted the critical role that state institutions played in advancing systemic safety and supporting local communities. The conversation centered on the model developed in North Carolina, where the state leveraged existing federal funds to strengthen collaboration, build capacity, and advance the Safe System approach across diverse regions and agencies.

Participants examined the work of the North Carolina Vision Zero Community Collaborative and the NC Vision Zero Leadership Institute, a program supported by the State Highway Safety Office and led by university research centers. The effort demonstrated how long term culture change became possible when institutions invested in leadership development, equity best practices, and communication skills rather than relying on short term education or enforcement campaigns. The program emphasized the importance of breaking down silos and moving beyond the traditional framework that had long limited the effectiveness of roadway safety work.

The session underscored the value of peer learning and community building, recognizing that sustained progress required ongoing support, shared knowledge, and strong relationships across agencies and communities. Participants reflected on the statement that community building was the secret sauce, noting that trust and collaboration were essential for meaningful systems change.

The conversation also addressed the flexibility of federal Section 402 funds, which every state received through the State and Community Highway Safety Grant program. The discussion reinforced that these funds could be directed toward proven, in depth strategies aligned with the Safe System approach, rather than being confined to outdated or ineffective practices. Participants explored ways to challenge the status quo and ensure that transportation safety dollars were used effectively, efficiently, and equitably.

The session highlighted the need for holistic approaches that integrated public health and transportation, including the development of new leadership programs designed to support cross sector collaboration. The discussion affirmed that state institutions had both the authority and the responsibility to lead systemic change, foster connections, and advance Vision Zero principles in ways that protected human life and addressed longstanding inequities.

The conversation served as a reminder that transformational change required institutional will, sustained investment, and a commitment to building cultures of safety that extended beyond individual programs or campaigns. The model demonstrated in North Carolina offered a clear example of how state leadership could support communities, strengthen systems, and advance the goal of eliminating traffic deaths and serious injuries.

The discussion on Santa Rosa’s Safe System approach brought forward a clear and evidence based model for managing speeds and preventing severe crashes in a suburban environment. The conversation centered on the reality that high speeds and conflict points remained the primary drivers of serious injuries and fatalities, and that meaningful change required proactive, systemic management of speed across the entire road network.

Santa Rosa’s transportation leadership described the two foundational strategies for reducing the severity of crashes, separating people in time and space through dedicated facilities and reducing speeds to limit the force of impact. The city’s work demonstrated how intentional design and policy alignment could shift outcomes in communities where dangerous roadways had long placed residents at risk.

The session highlighted the importance of leveraging California’s Assembly Bill 43, which allowed cities to legally lower speed limits in areas where people walking mixed with drivers. Santa Rosa used this authority to reduce speeds on more than three dozen streets within its High Injury Network, prioritizing corridors where severe crashes were concentrated. The city’s data revealed that these high risk streets heavily overlapped with lower income and marginalized communities, underscoring the need for equity focused implementation that directed safety improvements to those who needed them most.

The conversation emphasized the necessity of self enforcing street design, where the physical environment discouraged dangerous speeds without relying on enforcement alone. Examples included narrowing travel lanes, installing raised crosswalks, adding curb extensions, and using speed humps to make high speeds physically uncomfortable or impossible. The discussion also addressed the importance of daylighting, supported by California’s new law prohibiting parking within twenty feet of crosswalks, which improved visibility and reduced crash risk at intersections and corridors with a history of harm.

Participants examined the role of quick build projects and community engagement in accelerating safety improvements. Santa Rosa used flexible, temporary materials to test traffic calming strategies and organized hands on events that allowed residents to experience changes directly and provide feedback before permanent installations were made. This approach ensured that community voices shaped the design of their streets and that lived experience informed final decisions.

Santa Rosa’s work demonstrated that a consistent, citywide Safe System approach was possible even in suburban contexts. The discussion reinforced that safety required prioritizing human life over speed, addressing inequities embedded in the built environment, and committing to systemic solutions that prevented future tragedies.

📅 Date & Time

Wednesday, November 19, 2025

11:00 AM Pacific Time

🔍 Description

This session explores how cultivating a culture of health can strengthen local and organizational traffic safety culture, especially in rural communities. 

Participants will examine the shared values, behaviors, and data-driven practices that shape safety outcomes and public trust.

Topics include:

• Core constructs of traffic safety culture and health culture

• Indicators and measures of positive safety culture

• Strategies for fostering safety and health culture in rural settings

• U.S. examples of cross-sector partnerships that integrate health and transportation

This module supports a systems-level approach to safety, reinforcing the idea that cultural alignment across public health and transportation sectors can drive lasting change and save lives.

🎓 Format

Live webinar (recorded for future self-paced training)

For more details, visit rosendasgift.org or follow on social media:
Facebook Affiliate: @JusticeforRose
Instagram Affiliate: @justiceforrose

Rosenda’s Gift attended this session on Local Road Safety Plans, a framework that has helped rural communities reduce severe crashes through clear priorities, data‑informed decision making, and collaborative planning. The presentation emphasized that LRSPs are most effective when they bring local partners together to identify risks, build consensus, and take proactive steps toward safer transportation systems.

The session outlined how LRSPs support local safety efforts by organizing data, community input, and engineering strategies into a coherent plan that guides long‑term action. Presenters walked through the steps involved in developing a data‑informed LRSP and discussed practical approaches for implementing these plans in rural communities with limited resources. Examples from across the country demonstrated how scalable, community‑driven safety plans had strengthened resilience and saved lives.

This module reinforced the principle that locally tailored strategies are essential for addressing the unique challenges of rural road networks. By supporting long‑term planning and cross‑sector collaboration, LRSPs offer communities a clear path toward safer, more equitable transportation systems.

The Vision Zero 101 webinar highlighted the urgent need for communities to move beyond traditional traffic‑safety models and adopt a Safe System approach that prioritized human life over speed and convenience. Presenters reviewed the core principles of Vision Zero, examined the current state of roadway safety in the United States, and demonstrated how equity, public health, and community partnership must guide all meaningful safety work. Examples from cities across the country illustrated how design‑based solutions, data‑driven strategies, and cross‑sector collaboration had begun to reduce severe injuries and fatalities.

The session also addressed emerging technologies, including speed safety cameras and Intelligent Speed Assistance, emphasizing their potential benefits when implemented with strong equity safeguards and paired with design improvements. Participants were encouraged to consider practical first steps, identify key partners, and commit to long‑term structural change rather than symbolic adoption.

The event provided a concise foundation for communities at any stage of Vision Zero work, reinforcing that safer, more equitable streets required sustained leadership, clear priorities, and a commitment to systemic reform.

Families for Safe Streets convened this national committee meeting to refine the latest draft of life saving legislation. Whether participants were seasoned advocates or new to the movement, their lived experience was vital in shaping policy that centered victims and prevented future tragedies.

Core Mission

Families for Safe Streets was, and continues to be, a grassroots, victim led advocacy movement confronting the preventable epidemic of traffic violence by:

• Advocating for lifesaving systemic changes, including safe speeds, improved street design, safer vehicles, and equitable policies, Families for Safe Streets USA

• Supporting individuals impacted by crashes, providing emotional, peer based, and practical assistance such as support groups, peer mentoring, and resource guides, Families for Safe Streets USA

• Elevating personal stories of grief and survival to humanize the crisis, mobilize public awareness, and drive policy reform across local to national levels

Families for Safe Streets sought to end traffic violence by combining:

• Grief driven advocacy for safe systems, speeds, streets, and vehicles

• Mutual support among survivors, victims’ families, and caregivers

• Powerful personal storytelling that spurred cultural and legislative change

This meeting stood as an opportunity to ensure that survivor voices shaped national policy. Together, participants advanced reforms that saved lives and honored those lost.

🗣️ Advocacy Post: Demanding Data and Accountability in DUI Prevention

Rosenda's Gift met with California MADD Coordinator Georgina Avilez, California Victims Services lead Rhonda Campbell, and SAFE IE representative Kellie Montalvo, to address critical shortcomings in DUI prevention strategy and victim support. Dr. Fillmore Smiley presented research challenging the current status quo.

The Interlock Illusion: Recidivism vs. Systemic Safety

Dr. Smiley presented crucial research on the inefficacy of ignition interlock devices (IIDs) as a long term solution. 

The data is clear: 

• Interlock Devices hinder recidivism only while they are installed, proving more effective than fines or license suspension during that period.

• The effect vanishes upon removal. According to several studies, recidivism often increases once IIDs are removed. IIDs alone will not reduce DUI crash fatalities or injuries and will not save lives in the long run.

Rosenda's Gift advocates for solutions that address systemic risks and root causes, not temporary behavioral fixes. We continue to stress that reliance on interventions that offer only temporary safety is a waste of resources that could be better spent on proven, long term solutions.

Challenging Ineffective Interventions and Victim Support Gaps

The conversation exposed significant gaps in victim outreach and the efficacy of current educational programs:

Victim Services: Dr. Smiley shared that Rose’s mother, Glori, attempted to contact MADD after Rose died and received no follow up, a common issue based on feedback from other victims. Victim support must be reliable, consistent, and proactive.

Educational Initiatives: Dr. Smiley explained research indicating that DUI educational initiatives, such as Victim Impact Panels, are extremely rare in their effectiveness and often fall outside scientific norms. Research shows that modeling caregiver behavior is the most prominent factor determining adult behaviors, highlighting that root causes, such as poverty and social inequality, must be addressed for real change.

The Need for Research Driven Legislation

We expressed frustration that MADD, while operating state and local offices that should advocate for legislative implementation, often promotes interventions that lack strong research support. Dr. Smiley emphasized that relying on ineffective campaigns or temporary fixes represents an incredible waste of time, resources, and money.

Rosenda’s Gift demands that all DUI prevention efforts be grounded in rigorous research that leads to sustained reductions in traffic violence, not temporary measures.

Rosenda’s Gift will not stop fighting for evidence based, systemic change. We demand accountability from organizations and policymakers responsible for keeping our roads safe.

Rosenda's Gift, along with Families for Safe Streets, participated in a crucial session focused on integrating public health data into traffic injury analysis and monitoring. This event, "Public Health Data to Inform Injury Analysis and Monitoring," reinforced the urgent need for a more holistic, equitable approach to road safety.

Beyond Crash Reports: Understanding the True Impact

The session explored how data from health systems, behavioral studies, and community level indicators can strengthen the diagnosis, prediction, and monitoring of traffic injuries, offering a comprehensive view of their causes, patterns, and disproportionate impacts.

We reviewed key topics essential for effective, survivor centered advocacy:

• Public health system injury data and the full scope of traffic trauma.

• Social determinants of health and behavioral data sources, which expose systemic safety risks.

• Evidence based approaches to injury analysis and prevention.

• Integrating public health data into predictive and monitoring programs.

Our Call for Cross Sector Collaboration

Rosenda's Gift knows that road safety is a public health crisis. This module strongly supported cross sector collaboration, proving that reliable, data informed decision making is essential for building safer, more equitable transportation systems. We continue to demand that policymakers utilize these comprehensive data sources to prioritize the communities and road users most vulnerable to severe injury and death.

Rosenda's Gift is committed to turning this knowledge into effective advocacy. We fight for transparency and the use of the best available data to save lives and prevent further trauma.

Strategic Advocacy for Systemic Safety

This national webinar convened transportation leaders, advocates, and community stakeholders to explore how Vision Zero efforts could be strengthened through proactive, holistic prioritization. Participants examined how limited resources could be strategically deployed to address the most dangerous systemic risks, rather than reacting to individual crashes.

Focus: Proactive Strategies for Safe System Prioritization

The session emphasized the importance of moving beyond reactive “whack a mole” approaches and showcased how communities could build buy in, coordinate infrastructure improvements, and scale proven interventions.

Key Strategies Discussed:

• Building the High Injury Network (HIN): Participants learned how to map areas with the highest concentrations of roadway deaths and severe injuries, allowing for targeted investment and systemic risk reduction

• Layering Equity and Demographic Data: Presenters demonstrated how overlaying HIN maps with demographic data revealed disparities in risk, such as Las Vegas’s finding that 33 percent of its street network accounted for 58 percent of severe and fatal crashes

• Incorporating Community Input: The session highlighted how supplementing police crash data with community sourced information helped bridge data gaps, build trust, and ensure that HINs reflected the lived experiences of vulnerable road users

• Proactive Systemic Safety: Cities like Seattle and New York City shared how they shifted from reactive crash response to proactive implementation of proven interventions, such as installing Leading Pedestrian Intervals during routine signal retiming

Peer Learning and Case Studies

The webinar featured insights from newer Vision Zero communities including Nashville, Omaha, and El Paso, alongside experienced leaders from Austin and Seattle. These examples illustrated how communities could get ahead of crashes, rather than playing catch up hotspot by hotspot.

This session reinforced the need for strategic, equity centered, and data driven approaches to traffic safety. Participants left with actionable tools to stretch resources, coordinate across agencies, and build a truly proactive Safe System framework.

Advocacy Update: Key Insights from the FSS Autonomous Vehicle Roundtable

On Sunday, November 9, 2025, Families for Safe Streets hosted the second session in its Autonomous Vehicle Roundtable series, a virtual conversation focused on safety, policy, and public accountability in the age of emerging vehicle technology.

Dr. Philip Koopman, Faculty Emeritus at Carnegie Mellon University and originator of the UL 4600 AV safety standard, shared expert insights drawn from decades of experience in academia, the U.S. Navy, startups, and industry review of over 200 embedded software systems. His presentation equipped advocates with the knowledge needed to navigate the complex landscape of autonomous vehicle development.

The roundtable centered on three urgent questions:

• How can we ensure autonomous vehicles will genuinely reduce traffic fatalities and injuries, rather than introduce new risks?

• What policies and transparent safeguards are non-negotiable for protecting pedestrians, cyclists, and all vulnerable road users?

• How must cities and policymakers prepare for the systemic risks and opportunities this technology presents?

Dr. Koopman emphasized that informed advocacy is the only way to guarantee that safety, not speed, remains the primary design principle for future transportation systems.

Families for Safe Streets continues to ensure that the voices of victims and advocates shape the future of mobility. Participants left this session prepared to ask tough questions, demand accountability, and advance community-centered policy.

Rosenda’s Gift participated in the first session of the Public Health and Transportation series, titled “Integrating Public Health and Transportation to Enhance Road User Safety.” This live webinar explored how public health principles can inform and strengthen transportation safety efforts.

Participants examined key terms and frameworks from public health practice, identified opportunities to integrate health data into transportation planning, and discussed strategies for cross-sector collaboration. The session also highlighted examples of community-centered safety initiatives that promote equity and protect vulnerable road users.

This module supported a holistic approach to roadway safety, emphasizing the shared responsibility of transportation and public health systems in preventing harm and promoting well-being.

Dr. Smiley met with Kellie Montalvo and Tami Friedrich to formalize a new leadership role with SAFE Inland Empire (SAFE IE), a nonprofit dedicated to eliminating traffic fatalities through education, advocacy, and survivor-centered outreach.

During this meeting, Dr. Smiley accepted a prominent position, tentatively titled Victim Service Director, and committed to supporting key initiatives including the World Day of Remembrance, Ghost Tire gatherings, and the Tour de Palm Springs. Each of these efforts centers survivor voices and demands systemic accountability

Kellie Montalvo and Tami Friedrich are both nationally recognized advocates whose personal losses have fueled transformative public work:

• Kellie Montalvo has turned grief into a campaign against distracted driving, reaching thousands through public testimony and education.

• Tami Friedrich has been honored as Woman of the Year for her legislative and community leadership. Watch her story.

This meeting marks a new phase in survivor-led, justice-driven collaboration across the Inland Empire.

Rosenda’s Gift joined national partners for a focused webinar on Intelligent Speed Assistance, a proven but underutilized strategy essential to Vision Zero. This session addressed how ISA technology actively manages vehicle speeds to prevent the most dangerous driving behaviors, including extreme speeding.

Dr. Fillmore Smiley attended on behalf of Rosenda’s Gift, continuing a commitment to advancing system-level solutions that prevent harm before it occurs.

Key Insights Shared

Proven Efficacy

• The New York City fleet pilot demonstrated a 64 percent reduction in speeding among ISA-equipped vehicles, confirming the technology’s life-saving potential.

• Implementation Pathways: Washington D C shared its rapid deployment model, integrating ISA into municipal fleets as part of a broader Safe System strategy.

• Policy Advancement: State-level efforts in Virginia, Washington, and the District of Columbia are moving to mandate ISA for repeat high-risk drivers, positioning it as a proactive alternative to traditional punitive enforcement.

Call to Action for Local Leaders

• This session reinforced the urgent need for local governments to:

• Prioritize safe vehicle components in Vision Zero plans

• Implement ISA across municipal and state fleets

• Support super speeder legislation targeting the most dangerous drivers

Featured Experts

• Eric Richardson, Together for Safer Roads

• Charlie Wilson, Washington D C Vision Zero

• Amy Cohen, Families for Safe Streets

This event underscored a central truth of Rosenda’s Gift’s advocacy: speed is not just a factor, it is a policy choice. Intelligent Speed Assistance offers a scalable, enforceable, and survivor-aligned tool to prevent the next crash before it happens.

Pedestrian Safety on the Balboa Peninsula

Meeting with Newport Beach Assistant City Manager Tara Finnigan

Monday, October 27 • 3:30–4:00 PM

Hosted via Zoom (link not posted publicly)

This meeting represents a critical advocacy intervention in response to long-standing community demands for pedestrian safety on the Balboa Peninsula. Survivors, residents, and reform advocates will engage directly with Assistant City Manager Tara Finnigan to challenge the city’s inaction and push for Vision Zero, aligned reforms.

Why This Matters

• Over a decade of unmet safety requests, Elevated crosswalks, blinking signage, and speed management have been repeatedly proposed and ignored.

• Dismissive city narratives, A city-cited report claims the Peninsula is “no more dangerous” than other areas, a conclusion widely challenged as misleading and self-protective.

• Systemic resistance to reform, Despite advanced traffic infrastructure, there is no evidence of commitment to research-backed pedestrian safety interventions.

What We're Confronting

• A citywide prioritization of traffic flow over human life

• Counterclaims from city representatives that contradict established safety research

• A pattern of minimizing community grief and rejecting survivor testimony

What We’re Demanding

• Transparent, data-informed decision-making

• Immediate implementation of proven safety measures

• A public commitment to Vision Zero principles

• Respect for the lived experiences of grieving families and concerned residents

Dr. Fillmore Smiley continues to lead coalition-building efforts to hold Newport Beach accountable and ensure that pedestrian safety is no longer treated as optional. This meeting is not a formality, it is a demand for change.

Thank you to every voice that refuses silence, Your advocacy is the reason reform is possible.

Advocacy in Action

Road Safety Audits Webinar

Centering First Responders in Roadway Reform

On Wednesday, October 22nd, Rosenda’s Gift participated in a focused training session on road safety audits, emphasizing the critical role first responders play in shaping safer streets. Held virtually at 11:00 AM Pacific Time, the webinar explored how lived experience, especially from those who arrive first at the scene, can inform roadway design, emergency protocols, and long-term safety improvements.

Participants examined the structure and purpose of road safety audits, the integration of responder insights into audit teams, and the translation of findings into actionable change. The session reinforced a guiding principle shared by Rosenda’s Gift: that technical analysis must be paired with human experience to prevent future harm. When responders speak, their voices carry the weight of lives saved and lives lost. Their perspective is not optional, it is essential.

This training was recorded for future self-paced learning, ensuring that its lessons will continue to reach advocates, planners, and public safety professionals. For Rosenda’s Gift, it was another opportunity to push for reform rooted in reality. Every audit informed by those who’ve witnessed the consequences of unsafe design is a step toward justice. And every step toward justice is a tribute to Rose.

Advocacy in Action

Worker Safety Webinar

Protecting Roadway Workers Through Education and Reform:

On Tuesday, October 21st, Rosenda’s Gift participated in a vital training session focused on worker safety in roadway environments. Hosted as part of the M&C series, this webinar offered a deep dive into the hazards faced by maintenance crews and construction teams, and the strategies that can prevent tragedy before it strikes. From 11:00 AM Pacific Time, participants explored the hierarchy of safety controls, real-world case studies, and the protocols that can transform dangerous zones into protected spaces.

This training was more than technical, it was moral. Every worker deserves to return home safely. Every job site must be designed with dignity and foresight. By examining common hazards and preventive measures, the session reinforced a core principle shared by Rosenda’s Gift: that no life should be placed at unnecessary risk, and that safety must be embedded into every layer of public infrastructure.

The webinar was recorded for future self-paced training, ensuring that its lessons will reach beyond a single day. For advocates, families, and professionals alike, it offered tools to challenge complacency and demand accountability. In the spirit of Rose’s legacy, this session was a reminder that reform begins with education, and that every life protected is a life honored.

Advancing Rosenda’s Law: A Crucial Virtual Legislative Conversation

Rosenda’s Gift recently participated in a key virtual meeting with Assemblymember Stephanie Nguyen (AD-10) to advance critical legislative reform concerning drunk driving and public safety.

This conversation was an essential step in our growing movement to hold systems accountable and implement evidence-based reforms in California, reflecting our commitment to protecting lives and changing the state's approach to impaired driving.

Topics of Legislative Discussion:

• During the meeting, Rosenda's Gift presented our actionable, evidence-based policy proposals aimed at modernizing California’s approach to impaired driving:

• Mandatory Drug Court: We advocated for mandatory enrollment in Drug Court following a second DUI conviction, a measure proven to save lives and significantly reduce costs.

• Charging Passengers as Accessories: We introduced the concept of charging passengers as accessories in DUI vehicles, drawing on successful international models from countries like Japan and South Korea, which have significantly lower fatality rates.

• Rosenda’s Law: Our proposed framework for systemic change was presented, accompanied by a fact sheet and background materials, detailing our vision for comprehensive safety reform.

Candid Outcome and Next Steps:

Advocacy is rarely straightforward, and this meeting was a clear example of the challenge in moving new legislation forward. While our proposals were presented clearly, the Assemblymember seemed somewhat disinterested in the initial conversation. Furthermore, the meeting was cut short by the assistant.

Despite this, the Assemblymember's office was informed that Rosenda's Gift will be in touch again with a more tangible legislative draft and stronger materials. This is part of the process, and we remain dedicated to continuing to meet with members of the Assembly Public Safety Committee to urge the adoption of these life-saving reforms.

About Assemblymember Stephanie Nguyen:

Assemblymember Stephanie Nguyen represents California’s 10th Assembly District. She previously served as Executive Director of Asian Resources, Inc., and as a member of the Elk Grove City Council. Her legislative focus centers on public safety, youth mental health, and economic opportunity, especially for underserved communities.

For assistance with scheduling or legislative matters, the Assemblymember's office contact is:

Contact: Jessica Vang, Scheduler

Phone: (916) 319-2010

Email: Jessica.vang@asm.ca.go

Focus

This training expanded on the National Traffic Incident Management Responder curriculum, offering a deeper look into the tools and protocols designed to protect first responders working roadside. The session reinforced a core principle: responder safety is foundational to public safety.

Topics Covered

• Equipment and visibility standards used to reduce roadside risk

• Emergency scene protocols tailored to unpredictable traffic environments

• Deployment strategies for signage and lighting systems that alert and slow drivers

Advocacy Context

The training highlighted the urgent need for enforceable standards that protect responders in high-speed, low-visibility conditions. These strategies are not optional, they’re life-saving.

Work Zones are Not Just Cones. They're a Matter of Life and Death.

Safety and justice demand we focus on the rules designed to protect our loved ones and our essential road crews. Roadway work zones in rural areas are especially dangerous, often lacking the visibility and consistent safety measures found in urban settings.

The session, focusing on the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD), isn't just a training, it's a critical step toward ensuring that every worker returns home safely and that drivers avoid catastrophic, preventable incidents.

The Ask: Safety is Non-Negotiable.

We are advocating for every maintenance and engineering team to not just attend this training, but to implement the minimum MUTCD standards faithfully and consistently.

The current session covered:

• MUTCD Mandates: Understanding the non-negotiable standards for visibility, lane closure, and signage in rural work zones.

• Unique Challenges: Recognizing the heightened risks in rural environments, where speed and limited sight distance amplify danger.

• Practical Application: Turning textbook guidelines into life-saving field practices.

Why This Matters to Rosenda's Gift:

One of our core missions is to help end preventable roadway tragedies. Inadequate work zone setup and inconsistent adherence to national safety protocols are unacceptable hazards. This training reinforces the need for Consistency, Visibility, and Protection, core elements of roadway safety that save lives.

Demand safer roads. Demand MUTCD compliance. Demand that every work zone protects every person.

Demanding Truth in Death Certificates

THE PROBLEM: For too long, families of victims killed by drunk drivers or lethal drug sales were told their loved ones' deaths were "Accidents." This official lie minimized the reckless, criminal behavior that took a life. Our coalition asserted that the true manner of death was often homicide.

THE INJUSTICE: Medical Examiners' current definitions of homicide were narrow and outdated, failing to align with criminal law, which recognizes that recklessness or indifference to human life was a form of intent (like in Manslaughter). This arbitrary classification denied victims and their families the dignity of accurate documentation.

🎯 ACTION TAKEN: Confronting the System

On Wednesday, October 8, 2025, a coalition of bereaved parents, leading advocates, and legal experts took a crucial step by meeting directly with Dr. Reade A. Quinton, MD, President of the National Association of Medical Examiners (NAME).

This was a collaborative dialogue for systemic reform, focused on achieving Truth in Documentation.

OUR OBJECTIVES FOR THE MEETING:

Our proposed to Dr. Quinton and NAME to:

Align with Justice: Advocate for expanding the official definition of homicide to reflect the recklessness and indifference central to impaired driving and fatal substance sales.

Establish National Consistency: Promote a uniform national standard for the manner of death that aligns with criminal law.

Secure a Voice for Victims: Explore possibilities for advocates to speak directly to NAME's membership at their annual conference and/or host an informational booth.

Advance Legislative Support: Initiate discussions on how NAME could support updating the classification system while maintaining professional independence.

The conversation marked a critical initial step toward honoring victims with accuracy, dignity, and systemic change.

Confirmed Participants:

• Dr. Fillmore Smiley – Rosenda’s Gift

• Matt Capelouto – Stop Drug Homicide

• Candace Lightner – We Save Lives

• Carol Schweigert – Parent Advocate

• Larry Hatfield – Stanislaus County Opioid Safety Coalition

• Ivy Fitzpatrick – Riverside County District Attorney’s Office

• Dr. Reade A. Quinton, MD – President, NAME

For more details, visit rosendasgift.org or follow on social media:
Facebook Affiliate: @JusticeforRose
Instagram Affiliate: @justiceforrose

#JusticeForRose #RosendasGift #DeathCertificateReform #MannerOfDeathMatters #StopDrugHomicide #WeSaveLives #TruthInDocumentation #LiveLikeRose #LoveLikeRose #LLR #RosendasLaw #RosendasDay #AdvocacyInAction #ChangingTheSystem #changingtheworld #rosendasday #rosendaslaw #missingrose #heartache #drunkdriver #heartbreak

Rosenda’s Gift joined organizers from across the country for a national working session in preparation for the 2025 World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims. The meeting, hosted by Vision Zero Network and WDoR-USA, brought together survivor advocates, policy strategists, and community leaders committed to transforming grief into action.

This session was not about logistics, it was about legacy. Participants shared hard-won lessons from past events, exchanged survivor-centered messaging, and aligned on policy demands that reflect the urgency of lives lost. Together, we identified the systemic failures that continue to endanger pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers alike, and the reforms needed to stop them.

Rosenda’s Gift contributed to the conversation by elevating the need for survivor inclusion in planning, transparent crash investigations, and proactive maintenance standards that prevent roadway hazards before they become fatal. The group also discussed how to amplify local campaigns through coordinated national messaging, ensuring that every vigil, rally, and remembrance event speaks with unified moral clarity.

This meeting marked a step forward in the fight for safer streets. It was a space where Rose’s story, and the stories of so many others, were honored not just in memory, but in strategy. We left with shared tools, renewed resolve, and a collective promise: to make this year’s World Day of Remembrance a turning point for policy, accountability, and justice.

Her name was spoken. Her legacy was carried. And the work continues.

Why Words Matter: It Was a Crash, Not an Accident

At Rosenda’s Gift, our mission is driven by the reality that Rose’s beautiful life was stolen by a drunk driver, a preventable crime, not a random event. This is why the language we use to describe traffic fatalities is critical to advocacy and saving lives.

When we use the word "accident," we imply that the event was unavoidable, a mere "oops" that was inevitable and for which no one is truly responsible. This language is not only hurtful to victims and their families, but it fundamentally undermines the conversation around prevention.

The truth is, devastating traffic events, like the one that took Rose's life, are not accidents; they are crashes or collisions.

The Power of Language:

By committing to use the word crash, we reinforce a core belief that drives all of our advocacy work:

Crashes are Predictable and Preventable:

They are the result of conscious choices, speeding, distraction, or, in Rose's case, impaired driving. When a drunk driver gets behind the wheel, the resulting fatality is a crime, not an unfortunate stroke of fate.

Crashes Demand Accountability: 

Language that suggests inevitability allows drivers and transportation decision-makers to evade responsibility. Changing the word signals that we expect answers, solutions, and policy changes to make our streets safer. 

As the Vision Zero movement states: "Planes don't have accidents. They crash. 

Cranes don't have accidents. They collapse. And as a society, we expect answers and solutions."

It Honors Victims: 

For grieving families, calling a preventable loss an "accident" minimizes the profound injustice of the crime. Using "crash" validates the experience of those who know the death was completely within human control.

Our Call to Action:

To truly change the culture around driving and traffic safety, we must start with our words.

Join Rosenda’s Gift in our commitment: Stop using the word "accident" when describing traffic fatalities caused by unsafe drivers or dangerous road design. By simply changing our language to crash, we take the first powerful step toward making our communities safer and ensuring that every life lost is recognized as a preventable tragedy, not an inevitable misfortune.

Learn more: Families for Safe Streets

Social Media:
Facebook Affiliate: @JusticeforRose
Instagram Affiliate: @justiceforrose

Families for Safe Streets convened its National Policy & Advocacy Committee to refine the latest draft of life-saving legislation aimed at ending traffic violence. This meeting brought together survivors, caregivers, and advocates whose lived experience continues to shape policy from the ground up.

This is not abstract work. It’s grief-driven advocacy rooted in truth. Every voice in the room, whether seasoned or newly joined, carried the weight of personal loss and the determination to prevent future tragedies.

Key Advocacy Priorities:

• Push for systemic reforms: safe speeds, safer street design, vehicle safety, and equitable enforcement

• Elevate survivor stories to humanize the crisis and drive legislative change

• Strengthen peer-based support systems for families impacted by crashes

• Prepare unified national strategies for upcoming legislative sessions

Families for Safe Streets is a victim-led movement confronting the preventable epidemic of traffic violence. Their work blends mutual support, public education, and policy reform to demand accountability and build safer communities.

Rosenda’s Gift stands in solidarity with this coalition, amplifying the call for truth in documentation, justice in legislation, and dignity in every memorial.

For more details, visit rosendasgift.org or follow on social media:
FacebookAffiliate: @JusticeforRose
Instagram Affiliate: @justiceforrose

A Private Legislative Strategy Call

When a child dies from fentanyl poisoning or impaired driving, the pain is immeasurable, but the documentation often fails to reflect the truth. On September 30, Dr. Fillmore Smiley joined Candace Lightner and Matt Capeluta for a private legislative strategy session focused on death certificate reform, a critical issue affecting thousands of grieving families.

This conversation was not ceremonial. It was urgent. Families are confronting systemic gaps in how drug- and crash-related deaths are recorded, often finding that the official cause-of-death language obscures the real story. These omissions can hinder justice, distort public health data, and erase the lived experience of loss.

Participants:

• Candace Lightner: Founder of We Save Lives and Mothers Against Drunk Driving

• Matt Capelouto: President,  Stop Drug Homicider

• Dr. Fillmore Smiley: Clinical therapist and founder of Rosenda’s Gift

Key Advocacy Goals:

• Challenge vague or misleading cause-of-death terminology

• Push for legislative clarity that reflects the true nature of fentanyl poisoning and fatal alchol-induced crash homicide fatalities

• Elevate family voices in policy conversations

• Build momentum for reform that honors truth, accountability, and prevention

Rosenda’s Gift remains committed to supporting families whose grief is compounded by systemic erasure. This call marks a step toward legislative change, one rooted in lived experience and driven by love.

Dr. Fillmore Smiley met with David Monroy, Legislative Director for Assemblymember Juan Alanis (District 22), to advance drunk driving reform in honor of Rosenda Elizabeth Smiley.

Rosenda was killed by a drunk driver on May 25, 2024. This meeting represents a critical step in transforming grief into action, ensuring that survivor voices and clinical expertise shape California’s public safety priorities.

⚖️ Why This Matters

Drunk driving remains one of the most preventable causes of death on California roads. Yet too often, survivors are left out of the legislative process. Dr. Smiley, an expert in substance abuse, is working in partnership with We Save Lives to change that.

This meeting focused on:

• Strengthening accountability for impaired drivers

• Expanding prevention and education efforts

• Elevating trauma-informed policy rooted in lived experience

📣 Call to Action

Policy change begins with presence. If you’ve lost someone to impaired driving, your voice belongs in this conversation.

📞 Assemblymember Alanis’s Office: (916) 319-2655

📧 Contact David Monroy: David.Monroy@asm.ca.gov

Justice for Rose is justice for every family still waiting. Let’s make sure no one else has to walk this road alone.

 Advocacy in Motion: Legislative Strategy Meeting with California Highway Patrol

Dr. Fillmore Smiley and Candace Lightner, founder of Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) and President of We Save Lives, met privately with Captain Tye Meeks, Special Representative to the Legislature for the California Highway Patrol (CHP), and Jared Bartell, former Orange County attorney and current CHP legislative staffer.

This meeting marked a critical step in advancing survivor-led reform. Legislative goals discussed included:

🔍 Policy Proposals Under Review

1. Mandatory drug/dui court for second-time DUI offenders

2. Charging passengers as accessories when knowingly riding with an impaired driver

Captain Meeks affirmed that CHP cannot officially endorse or oppose legislation, but stated there was “nothing in the DUI court information we would oppose.” Jared Bartell, drawing on his legal background, offered valuable insight into the structure and impact of DUI courts. Both representatives expressed openness to further discussion and committed to consulting CHP intoxication experts before providing feedback on the passenger provision.

Candace Lightner reaffirmed her support for drug courts and praised Dr. Smiley’s advocacy as “commendable.” She later wrote: “It is my pleasure to help you pass meaningful legislation and save lives. Of course, any new legislation we work on together should be named after your daughter, Rosenda. I believe in the afterlife, so she is with Cari cheering us on.”

Dr. Smiley expressed deep gratitude to Candace, Mr. Meeks, and Mr. Bartell, writing:

“Thank you for supporting me, creating credibility for my crusade, and allowing me to become a part of We Save Lives. This is a wonderful organization accomplishing real research-supported work that does save lives. I appreciate your kindness, sincerity, compassion, and commitment.”

He added:

“If we can get any form of legislation passed, I would like it to be named in honor of my daughter. Anything called ‘Rosenda’s Law’ would honor the special person she was: witty, clever, intelligent, creative, beautiful, caring, kind, giving, and feisty. She deserves to be remembered, and this is my life’s purpose.”

This meeting laid the groundwork for future collaboration and affirmed the power of survivor-led advocacy. Rosenda’s legacy continues to guide this work, bold, compassionate, and unrelenting.

Dr. Smiley found this information whilst prepping for the meeting with the CHP

Drug/DUI court info

• According to the NHTSA, drunk driving costs the United States an estimated $68.9 billion annually.

• An analysis of drug court cost‐effectiveness conducted by The Urban Institute found that drug courts provided $2.21 in benefits to the criminal justice system for every $1 invested.

• There is a recidivism cost savings per offender due to participation in San Francisco drug court of almost $7700 per person.

• That means for every person arrested for drunk driving, drug court vs. other interventions saves society $7700 per person.

• There are about 87,500 people convicted of DUIs in California every year.

• That means drug courts could potentially save California $673,750,000 per year.

1. There is too much focus on what we do for a first DUI. Interlock, fines, and license suspension all have varying degrees of success, or lack thereof, but only for the period that intervention is being utilized. The alcohol education classes do not have research support at all. Nothing that is done for first-time DUIs has research support for saving lives, preventing injuries, and reducing recidivism long-term.

2. After a first DUI, a non-addict/alcoholic will never drink and drive again due to the shame, embarrassment, expense, social stigma, etc, of getting a DUI. An addict/alcoholic will gain no benefit from classes, etc., due to the symptoms of the disease (denial, rationalization, justification, blaming, etc.).

3. Only an alcoholic gets a 2nd DUI. Alcoholics need treatment. Not a class once or twice a week. Most of what we do on 2nd DUI's is not helpful. There is no empirical data that supports the efficacy of "DUI classes." I can assure you, as substance abuse is my area of expertise, an alcoholic gains zero benefit from those classes.

4. The most effective intervention on a 2nd DUI is mandatory drug court (DUI Court). The research efficacy for drug courts is irrefutable. Not only does drug court save lives, it saves taxpayers money. Millions actually.

5. Alcohol is the worst drug. It kills more Americans than all other drugs combined (excluding tobacco products).

6. If you get caught twice with cocaine, just possession, you are either going to jail or doing drug court. But if you get a 2nd DUI, you get interventions that do not help alcoholics (addicts) and do not help society. 

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Estimated Taxpayer Savings from Drug Courts in California

Estimates vary by program, but evidence consistently shows a significant return on investment:

• A statewide study of nine adult drug courts found that participation saved over $9 million in combined criminal justice and treatment costs. 

•  7:1 benefit-to-cost ratio: A 2000–2001 study on California's substance abuse treatment programs found that, on average, treatment cost $1,583 per client while generating $11,487 in monetary benefits to society—a ratio of more than 7-to-1.

• Up to $20,000 per participant: An analysis of nine adult drug courts found that eight produced net cost benefits. The savings ranged from about $3,200 to over $20,000 saved per participant over a four-year period.

• $10,000 per person saved nationally: The national average for treatment courts is approximately $6,000 saved for every person served, though some courts have reported savings of up to $12,000 per client.

Sources of drug court savings

Drug courts generate savings through various mechanisms, primarily by breaking the cycle of drug use and crime:

• Reduced incarceration costs: Drug courts typically divert nonviolent offenders into treatment rather than costly jail or prison sentences. For example, Orange County's collaborative courts reportedly saved over $120.6 million by avoiding more than 852,000 custody bed days through 2016.

• Decreased recidivism: Numerous studies have found that drug courts significantly lower re-arrest rates. In San Francisco, drug court graduates experienced a 73% decrease in recidivism compared to a control group.

• Lower criminal justice system costs: Beyond incarceration, reduced recidivism means fewer expenses for law enforcement, court processing, and probation services. 

• Avoided victimization costs: By preventing future crimes, drug courts reduce the financial and social costs associated with criminal victimization.

• Increased employment and earnings: Successful participants often gain stable housing and employment, contributing to the tax base instead of consuming public resources.

What the Data Shows

• A statewide study of nine adult drug courts in California found that participants had significantly lower rates of re-arrest and incarceration, which correlates with reduced exposure to violence, overdose, and untreated addiction.

• Nationally, drug court graduates are 6 to 26 percentage points less likely to be re-arrested than those processed through traditional courts.

• Drug courts also increase access to treatment, which is proven to reduce overdose risk and improve long-term health outcomes.

Recidivism and sobriety statistics

While exact numbers on lives saved are not available, drug court studies frequently report success through data on recidivism and reduced drug use:

• Studies have shown that drug court graduates have significantly lower recidivism rates compared to offenders sentenced through traditional court processes.

• One study of a San Francisco collaborative court program found a 37% decline in arrest rates for participants after entering the program, with a 73% decrease among graduates.

• National data indicates that adult drug courts can significantly reduce recidivism, with reductions ranging from 12% to 32% on average, and up to 85% in the most successful programs.

• The intensive, supervision-based approach of drug courts is widely documented to be effective and is strongly associated with positive outcomes for those with substance use disorders. 

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In California, the data from drug courts suggests that establishing DUI courts would be effective in reducing repeat offenses and potentially lowering costs. While mirroring the drug court model, dedicated DUI courts would need to adapt to the specific behaviors and challenges of alcohol use, which can differ from drug dependency. 

Direct translation of drug court data

Since DUI courts are modeled on the drug court system, there is substantial overlap in their expected effectiveness and methodology. 

• Effectiveness in reducing recidivism: Research from other states with DUI courts, like Michigan and Georgia, indicates a significant reduction in re-arrest rates compared to traditional court processing. A meta-analysis of DUI courts across the country found they reduced recidivism by about 50% compared to traditional court programs.

• Cost-effectiveness: Evaluations of DUI courts in other states suggest that they can be more cost-effective than standard methods of incarceration. While the intensive supervision and treatment are costly, the reduction in recidivism saves money on future arrests and court proceedings.

• Intensive supervision and treatment: Like drug courts, DUI courts would rely on a collaborative, team-based approach for high-risk offenders. This includes frequent status hearings before a judge, mandatory substance abuse treatment, and regular testing for alcohol and drugs. 

Current DUI court situation in California

It is important to note that specialized collaborative courts for repeat DUI offenders already exist in California. The state's Judicial Branch reports that these courts, modeled after the successful drug court system, have shown promising results in reducing recidivism. 

Some key features of California's existing DUI courts include: 

• Targeting individuals with significant substance use dependency and criminal histories.

• Conducting clinical assessments to identify the underlying issues contributing to the DUI offense.

• Utilizing intensive supervision and individualized treatment plans. 

In summary, the data shows that California can expect DUI courts to effectively reduce recidivism and associated costs, but the program must be adapted for DUI offenders, especially repeat ones, whose circumstances differ from those of many drug court participants. 

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• The data from California's drug courts provides a strong model for what could be achieved with dedicated DUI courts.

• If DUI courts were implemented, the results would be similar, leading to significant savings and a reduction in both injuries and deaths.

• The core principle behind both is the same: to use a specialized court system to address the underlying issue, whether it's drug addiction or alcohol dependency.

Cost Savings

The financial data from drug courts would translate very directly to DUI courts. Just as drug courts save money by diverting non-violent drug offenders from prison, DUI courts would save money by diverting repeat DUI offenders from jail or prison.

• High Incarceration Costs: Jails and prisons are extremely expensive to operate. DUI courts would replace these costs with the much lower costs of supervised probation, mandatory counseling, and alcohol treatment programs.

• Reduced Recidivism: The most significant financial benefit would come from a reduction in repeat offenses. Studies show that a supervised, treatment-focused program is much more effective at changing long-term behavior than a brief jail sentence. Fewer repeat offenses mean fewer arrests, court fees, and periods of incarceration, all of which save taxpayer money.

Lives Saved

The potential impact on public health and safety is the most important part of this analysis. DUI courts would likely save lives by reducing the rate of repeat drunk driving incidents.

• Addressing Root Causes: DUI courts would focus on treating the alcohol dependency that leads to drunk driving. By providing mandatory counseling and support, the courts would be able to change the behavior of high-risk offenders who might otherwise continue to drive drunk.

• Reduced Injuries and Fatalities: The data from drug courts shows a direct link between effective treatment and reduced mortality. This same link would apply to DUI courts, leading to fewer drunk driving crashes and, consequently, fewer injuries and deaths on the road.

In short, the data on drug courts is a powerful argument for the implementation of DUI courts. The financial and public health benefits would be substantial.

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If DUI courts were expanded across California with the same rigor and structure as drug courts, the data suggests they could deliver comparable, if not greater, public safety and cost-saving benefits, especially for repeat DUI offenders.

Translating Drug Court Impact to DUI Court Potential

Drug courts in California have shown:

• Recidivism drops of 38–50% among participants

• Taxpayer savings of $4 to $9 million across nine courts studied

• Cost-effectiveness: $2,500–$4,000 per participant annually vs. $20,000–$50,000 for incarceration

DUI courts, modeled after drug courts, have already shown promising results:

• In San Joaquin County, DUI court participants had lower arrest rates and fewer substance-related crashes

• In Georgia, DUI court participants had a 15% recidivism rate vs. 34% for traditional sentencing

• In Michigan, participants were 18 times less likely to be re-arrested for DUI

What This Means for California

If DUI courts were available statewide:

• Lives would be saved through reduced repeat offenses and impaired driving crashes

• Taxpayer dollars would be preserved by avoiding incarceration, emergency response, and court processing costs

• Families and communities would benefit from more stable recovery outcomes and fewer traumatic losses

Dr. Smiley found this information whilst prepping for the meeting with the CHP

United States:

• • No laws that explicitly allow charging the passenger in a DUI vehicle with a crime. 

Japan: 

• • For a driver who is driving under the influence (DUI) (BAC of 0.03% to 0.079%): A passenger can face up to two years in prison or a fine of up to ¥300,000.

  • For a driver who is driving while intoxicated (DWI) (BAC of 0.08% or higher): A passenger can be subject to up to three years in prison or a fine of up to ¥500,000. 

DUI Deaths & Injuries: Japan vs. United States (2023)

Total DUI Injuries
Japan: 1,032
United States: 140,000
Total DUI Deaths
Japan: 213
United States: 12,429
Population (2023)
Japan: ~124.4 million
United States: ~334 million
Injuries per 100,000 people
Japan: 0.83
United States: 41.9
Deaths per 100,000 people
Japan: 0.17
United States: 3.72
Injuries per day
Japan: ~2.8
United States: ~384
Deaths per day
Japan: ~0.6
United States: ~34
Injuries per hour
Japan: ~0.12
United States: ~16

Deaths per hour
Japan: ~0.025

United States: ~1.4

This year, thousands of families worldwide faced the unimaginable pain of losing a loved one to traffic violence. But this heartbreak was not an accident; it's a preventable tragedy. At Rosenda's Gift, we believe that change is possible through a global movement built on shared knowledge and coordinated action.

The Vision Zero Solution

Sweden’s groundbreaking Vision Zero approach offered a powerful solution. Established in 1997, this ethical and strategic framework was designed to eliminate all traffic fatalities and serious injuries on our roads. It was a testament to what's possible when we prioritize human life over all else.

Join the Fight and Learn from the Best

This past week, the Vision Zero Academy brought global leaders, advocates, and researchers together for an intensive five-day course. This was a unique opportunity to learn directly from the experts who have transformed road safety in Sweden and beyond. The course offered a deep dive into the strategies that have made Vision Zero a global standard.

We called on professionals and policymakers to attend this event. This wasn't just a course; it was a chance to network with international stakeholders and bring life-saving knowledge back to our communities. Their participation was a vital step toward creating a world where no family suffers the heartbreak of preventable loss.

Traffic Violence Is Preventable

Road traffic injuries are a global epidemic recognized by the UN's Sustainable Development Goals. Vision Zero is our answer. The event brought people together to work toward changing the world and ensuring that every person can travel safely. It was a time to move from "accidents" to accountability, from heartbreak to hope.

This is a time for Global Solidarity.

✯ #JusticeForRose #rosendasgift #wdor2025 #TrafficViolenceIsPreventable #missingrose #rosendasday #rosendaslaw #Heartache #heartbreak #drunkdriver #changingtheworld #GlobalSolidarity #VisionZero #LiveLikeRose #LoveLikeRose #LLR ✯

https://bransch.trafikverket.se/en/startpage/operations/Operations-road/vision-zero-academy/vision-zero-international-course/

🚸 Advocacy in Action: Honoring Victims, Demanding Safer Streets

Rosenda’s Gift joined organizers from across the country for a national working session in preparation for the 2025 World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims (WDoR). Hosted by Vision Zero Network and WDoR-USA, this gathering was more than a meeting, it was a movement.

Together, we shared progress, exchanged resources, and built momentum for local events that will honor lives lost to traffic violence and demand life-saving change. These tributes are not symbolic, they are strategic. They amplify survivor voices, challenge complacency, and call for accountability in every city, every neighborhood, every intersection.

Rosenda’s Gift is proud to be part of this national effort. We carry Rose’s name into these spaces not only to remember her, but to fight for others who still have a chance to live. We believe in remembrance with purpose, grief that fuels reform, and communities that refuse to accept preventable death as normal.

If you’ve lost someone to traffic violence, or if you believe in building a world where no one has to, we invite you to join us. Organize. Speak. Show up. The road to justice is built together.

Learn more at WDoR-USA.org

#JusticeForRose #WDoR2025 #RosendasGift #FamiliesForSafeStreets #TrafficViolenceIsPreventable #VisionZero #RemembranceAndReform #LiveLikeRose #LoveLikeRose #LLR #ChangingTheWorld #MissingRose

In Japan, passengers riding with an intoxicated driver can face severe penalties, including imprisonment and hefty fines.

• Japanese law holds passengers responsible for not stopping the impaired driver.

Penalties for Passengers

The specific penalties for a passenger depend on the driver's level of intoxication:

• For a driver who is driving under the influence (DUI) (BAC of 0.03% to 0.079%): A passenger can face up to two years in prison or a fine of up to ¥300,000.

• For a driver who is driving while intoxicated (DWI) (BAC of 0.08% or higher): A passenger can be subject to up to three years in prison or a fine of up to ¥500,000.

Broader Responsibility

• The law is designed to place responsibility on anyone who knows that a driver is impaired and does not prevent them from driving.

• This includes:

  • Providing alcohol to a person who subsequently drives under the influence.

  • Providing a vehicle to an intoxicated driver, even if you are not in the car.

• The penalties for these related offenses are comparable to the punishments for the impaired driver and the passenger.

The message from Japanese law is clear: in order to reduce drunk driving, all citizens are expected to intervene and prevent intoxicated people from getting behind the wheel.

• Japan's DUI laws are among the strictest globally, with a legal Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) limit of 0.03% or higher.

• Penalties for drunk driving include imprisonment for up to three years and fines of up to ¥500,000 for a first offense, with penalties increasing for repeat offenses or injuries/fatalities.

• Even providing alcohol to an intoxicated person or allowing an intoxicated person to drive can result in severe penalties, with punishments mirroring those of the impaired driver.

Strict BAC Limits

• "Zero Tolerance" Approach: Japan's BAC limit is significantly lower than many other countries, meaning even one alcoholic drink can put you over the legal limit.

• BAC Threshold:

  • A BAC of 0.03% to 0.079% is considered "driving while impaired" (DWI) and carries penalties of up to three years in prison and a ¥500,000 fine.

  • A BAC of 0.08% or higher is considered "driving under the influence" (DUI) and is punished more severely, with penalties of up to five years in prison and a ¥1,000,000 fine.

Penalties and Consequences

• Jail Time: Violators face lengthy imprisonment, with sentences scaling based on the BAC level.

• Heavy Fines: Fines can be substantial, ranging from hundreds of thousands to over a million yen.

• License Suspension/Cancellation: Drivers will likely lose their license.

• Job Loss: The severe consequences of a DUI conviction often lead to job loss.

Related Offenses

• Providing Alcohol to a Driver: Giving alcohol to someone who then drives under the influence can lead to penalties equal to those for drunk driving, with up to three years in prison and a ¥500,000 fine.

• Allowing an Intoxicated Person to Drive: The vehicle's owner can be held responsible and face severe penalties if they allow an intoxicated person to drive their car.

• Riding with an Intoxicated Driver: Passengers are also subject to severe penalties, such as imprisonment of up to three years and fines up to ¥500,000, if they are found riding in a vehicle driven by an intoxicated person.

DUI Death Frequency: Japan vs. USA

Country

Annual DUI Deaths (latest available)

Approx. Rate

Equivalent Frequency

Japan United States

~56 (2023) ~12,429 (2023)

~0.09 per 100,000 people ~3.7 per 100,000 people

1 every ~78 hours 1 every ~39 minutes

Country

Annual DUI Injuries (latest available)

Approx. Rate

Equivalent Frequency

Japan United States

~1,032 (2023) ~140,000 (2023)

~.83 per 100,000 people ~42 per 100,000 people

1 every ~ 8.5 hours 16 every ~ Hour

Key Takeaways

• A person in the U.S. is over 100× more likely to die in a DUI crash than in Japan, when adjusted per population.
  
  

• Japan’s much lower rate is linked to:
  
  

  • Extremely strict DUI laws (0.03% BAC limit vs. 0.08% in most U.S. states).
    
    

  • Passenger liability laws (passengers can also be prosecuted).
    
    

  • Strong cultural and legal deterrence (losing job/social stigma).

A new chapter of Families for Safe Streets was formally established in Massachusetts, led by grieving families determined to transform personal tragedy into public action. The chapter’s founding was inspired by the loss of Sidney Mae Olson, a five-year-old girl struck and killed in a downtown Andover crosswalk in 2023. Her father, Eric Olson, helped launch the group alongside other advocates, including support from MassBike and the Rainbow Fund.

The Massachusetts chapter joins a growing national network of families who have lost loved ones to traffic violence and are now working to prevent future tragedies through policy reform, public education, and infrastructure redesign. Their goals include supporting one another through grief, testifying on legislation, and organizing events like the World Day of Remembrance.

For Rosenda’s Gift, this expansion represents a powerful affirmation of what advocacy rooted in loss can achieve. Like the founding of Rosenda’s Gift, the Massachusetts chapter was born from heartbreak and a refusal to let that pain be meaningless. It echoes our belief that traffic violence is a preventable public health crisis, and that families, when united, can reshape the systems that failed them.

We stand in solidarity with Massachusetts Families for Safe Streets and all those who are turning grief into action. Together, we fight for safer streets, stronger laws, and a culture that values every life.

https://mass.streetsblog.org/2025/08/26/families-of-crash-victims-establish-new-mass-chapter-of-families-for-safe-streets

✯ #JusticeForRose #rosendasgift #FamiliesForSafeStreets #VisionZero #TrafficViolenceIsPreventable #SidneyMaeOlson #SammyCohen #AdvocacyInMotion #missingrose #rosendaslaw ✯

During the latest meeting of the Lake Arrowhead Dam / MacKay Park Advisory Committee, Henry Wu reported that the draft policy governing commemorative installations, such as benches and plaques, was completed within the first week after the previous session. It is now under review with County Counsel.

This policy, once approved, will apply to all San Bernardino County parks and was directly prompted by the effort to honor Rosenda Elizabeth Smiley. It establishes a formal process for proposing memorials and ensures that future installations reflect transparency, consistency, and community values.

Dr. Fillmore Smiley and Lori Thomas attended the meeting briefly to receive the update and will return in three months to continue monitoring progress. Their sustained involvement underscores the importance of ethical follow-through and public accountability in shaping policy that honors lives with dignity.

On August 20, 2025, Rosenda’s Gift participated in a dynamic online session led by Linda Hollander, renowned sponsorship strategist and author of Corporate Sponsorship in 3 Easy Steps. The event, hosted via Zoom, offered actionable insights into securing corporate sponsors for nonprofits, businesses, and advocacy initiatives.

Attendees learned how to identify potential sponsors, craft compelling proposals, and spotlight their unique assets, all to build sustainable funding partnerships. Linda shared proven strategies drawn from her work with major brands like Microsoft, FedEx, and American Airlines.

This session supported Rosenda’s Gift’s broader advocacy goals by equipping our team with tools to strengthen financial sustainability, amplify our mission, and collaborate with sponsors who share our commitment to remembrance, reform, and community healing. A recording is available on YouTube for those who missed it.

Dr. Fillmore Smiley, founder and director of Rosenda’s Gift, held a productive virtual meeting with Kimberly Salas, District Coordinator for Assemblymember Dr. Jasmeet Bains. The discussion centered on advancing Rosenda’s Law, crucial proposed legislation aimed at reforming drunk driving penalties in California.

Rosenda’s Law, born from the tragic loss of 14-year-old Rosenda Elizabeth Smiley, who was killed by a repeat DUI offender, advocates for:

• Mandatory drug court for repeat DUI offenders.

• Minimum jail sentences that escalate with each prior conviction.

• A diversion approach that could lead to reckless endangerment charges for passengers who enable drunk driving.

During the meeting, Dr. Smiley emphasized the importance of evidence-based interventions, sharing a study that highlighted the limitations of interlock devices. He pointed out that while such devices might offer short-term benefits, research indicates no sustained improvement once removed because they do not address the underlying issue of alcoholism or addiction.

Kimberly Salas's response confirmed the meeting's positive reception: "Thank you for further educating me on interlock devices and the penalties associated with drunk driving. Thank you for sharing your daughter, Rosenda’s, story with me. What a tragedy and senseless loss of life. I will look over the video and the other documents you sent and share them with our legislative director."

Assemblymember Dr. Jasmeet Bains, representing California’s 35th Assembly District, brings a unique perspective as both a physician and a public safety advocate. Rosenda’s Gift is honored to engage with her office, and this initial meeting marks a promising step forward in their shared commitment to meaningful reform and saving countless lives.

ENCOURAGING EVERYONE TO JOIN FAMILIES FOR SAFE STREETS AND THE VISION ZERO NETWORK.

https://www.familiesforsafestreets.org/join

🚦 Join Families for Safe Streets

Families for Safe Streets is a national network of people who have been personally affected by traffic violence, whether through the loss of a loved one, personal injury, or caregiving for someone injured. The organization offers:

•  Free support services for those impacted by crashes

•  Advocacy training to help members push for safer streets

•  Organizing tools to turn grief into action

By joining, members gain access to a private online community hub and exclusive resources. The initiative empowers survivors and advocates to share their stories, influence policy, and prevent future tragedies.

https://visionzeronetwork.org/get-involved/

🚸 Get Involved with Vision Zero Network

Vision Zero Network invites individuals, public agencies, and advocacy organizations to help eliminate traffic fatalities and severe injuries while promoting safe, equitable mobility. Ways to engage include:

•  City Support: Municipal staff working on Vision Zero can join peer exchanges, calls, and a listserv to share strategies and learnings.

•  Advocacy Support: Local, state, and national advocates can participate in bi-monthly calls and a dedicated listserv to collaborate on safer streets.

•  World Day of Remembrance: Annual event honoring victims of traffic violence and advocating for road safety improvements.

•  Newsletter Sign-Up: Stay informed about Vision Zero news and opportunities to take action in your community.

The August 2025 Vision Zero Network e-News highlights advancements and initiatives in road safety. It celebrates Vision Zero successes, noting that even small interventions, such as speed limit reductions, are making an impact. 

The newsletter announces the World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims (WDoR) on November 16, 2025, with a focus on "Safe Speeds Save Lives." It also discusses "Right-Sizing Enforcement" through a Safe System approach, prioritizing design improvements and prevention, and addresses the issue of dangerous state-owned roads. 

Finally, it shares recent news and research, including Helsinki's achievement of zero traffic deaths in 2024 and new findings on pedestrian safety, along with a list of upcoming webinars and a call for support.

#JusticeForRose #familiesforsafestreets #VisionZero

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Think Deeper: Turn Heartbreak into Hope and Join Rosenda’s Gift

https://sites.google.com/.../rosendasg.../donate-and-support

Dear Friends and Family,

As you may know, Rosenda’s Gift was created in honor of my daughter, Rosenda “Rose” Smiley, whose vibrant life was taken far too soon. Her loss, a heartbreaking reality for our family, ignited a profound purpose. But this nonprofit is not just about Rose, it’s about every family who has lost a loved one and longs for a meaningful way to honor their memory. At Rosenda’s Gift, we believe that no life should ever be forgotten.

Every day, we help grieving families create lasting memorials:

– Plaques in parks

– Commemorative bricks

– Memorial benches

– Other heartfelt tributes

https://sites.google.com/.../rosendasgiftorg/gifts-from-rose

These permanent, public spaces preserve legacies and offer solace, serving as a powerful testament that says, “This life mattered.” Our mission is rooted in love, remembrance, and legacy, providing comfort and community to those navigating unimaginable sorrow.

Your monthly gift is vital. It provides the consistent, reliable funding we need to sustain our compassionate programs, ensuring more families receive support and that cherished memories are preserved. Your commitment allows us to plan for the future, offering a steady hand to those in profound sorrow.

By becoming a monthly donor, you become the heartbeat of Rosenda’s Gift. Your ongoing gift, whether it’s $10, $25, $50, $100, or more, provides consistent support we can count on. This allows us to:

• Support families navigating grief and trauma

• Create and install memorials that offer comfort and connection

• Give people a tangible way to keep their loved one’s name alive

• Foster spaces of reflection, healing, and remembrance within communities

• Advocate for safer communities and healing spaces

https://sites.google.com/.../rosenda.../get-a-gift-from-rose

Your reliable support means we can respond quickly, act compassionately, and never say “no” to a family in pain.

While Rosenda’s Gift focuses solely on its charitable mission of support and remembrance, our founder, Dr. Fillmore Smiley, is personally dedicated to broader advocacy for drunk driving reform and safer streets, including initiatives like Rosenda’s Law and urging Newport Beach to become a Vision Zero city. His personal efforts complement the charity’s work by addressing the root causes of these tragedies, separate from the charity’s direct mission.

Will you stand with us? Please consider becoming a monthly donor today and help us bring comfort and lasting tribute to grieving families, ensuring every story continues to be told and every name is spoken with warmth and reverence.

Donate here: https://sites.google.com/.../rosendasg.../donate-and-support

Thank you for your compassion and commitment to honoring lives and supporting those in profound sorrow.

With deepest gratitude,

The Rosenda’s Gift Team

Rosenda's Gift - Get a Gift from Rose