In this episode, we talk with Tom Schuch, Director of Education at the New Mexico Restaurant Association, about the vital role servers and sellers play in preventing drunk driving. Fifty-eight percent of DWI arrests in New Mexico involve alcohol purchased at licensed establishments, making bartenders, servers, and clerks a first line of defense in keeping our roads safe.

Tom shares insights from his years of experience training servers and sellers through New Mexico’s alcohol server certification program. We discuss the challenges of cutting someone off, strategies for handling difficult situations, and how responsible alcohol service can save lives.

Additional links and resources

New Mexico Restaurant Association: https://www.nmrestaurants.org/

I.D. Checking Guide: https://www.driverslicenseguide.com/id-checking-guide.html

Dust storms are a growing and deadly hazard on New Mexico’s roads, with visibility dropping to zero in seconds and crashes claiming dozens of lives. In this episode, we speak with Trent Botkin from the Environmental Bureau of the New Mexico Department of Transportation about how dust storms form, why they’re becoming more frequent, and the serious risks they pose to drivers. Trent explains how NMDOT is tackling the problem at its root by restoring damaged land to prevent dust from rising in the first place. We discuss the impact of drought and overgrazing, and the groundbreaking work underway at the Lordsburg Playa, and what to do if you find yourself in a dust storm. From science to safety, this episode sheds light on a slow-moving crisis that’s finally getting the attention it deserves — and the bold strategies New Mexico is using to stop it.

Additional links and resources:

“Restoring Life to the Lordsburg Playa” – New Mexico Magazine deep-dive on on-the-ground ecology, photos, and the human story behind the work: https://www.newmexicomagazine.org/blog/post/restoring-lordsburg-playa/

NMDOT Dust Storm Mitigation & Safety: https://dustmitigation.nmdotprojects.org/

National Weather Service, Dust Storms and Haboobs: https://www.weather.gov/safety/wind-dust-storm

Since 1998, more than 1,000 children have died in hot cars. The majority of these tragic and entirely preventable losses are rooted not in neglect, but in a failure of the brain’s memory system. In this episode, we talk with Sue Auriemma, Vice President of Kids and Car Safety, about how and why these tragedies occur, the science behind memory failure, and what every parent and caregiver needs to know. Sue shares her own heartbreaking story and sheds light on the tireless advocacy efforts underway to make lifesaving technology standard in all vehicles. We explore the stigma surrounding hot car deaths, the role of public awareness, and the simple steps we can all take to prevent these tragedies.

Trigger warning: This episode includes discussion of child loss and may be emotionally difficult for some listeners.

Additional links and resources:

Kids and Car Safety
Website: https://www.kidsandcars.org
A leading nonprofit organization dedicated to preventing injuries and deaths of children in and around vehicles.

NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) – Heatstroke Prevention
Website: https://www.nhtsa.gov/campaign/heatstroke
Offers national statistics, safety tips, and heatstroke prevention materials.

NoHeatStroke.org
Website: https://www.noheatstroke.org
Maintained by meteorologist Jan Null, this site provides comprehensive data and analysis on pediatric vehicular heatstroke deaths.

Jane Weingarten's Pulitzer Prize-winning article in The Washington Post
https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/magazine/fatal-distraction-forgetting-a-child-in-the-backseat-of-a-car-is-a-horrifying-mistake-is-it-a-crime/2014/03/04/fb36ee3a-98c6-11e3-b88d-f36c07223d88_story.html