Alvarez suffered severe brain trauma and died approximately 24 hours later.

Tellez still mourns her nephew, but she also feels anger and frustration that the Torrance resident had his life cut short.

The offender, who sustained only minor injuries, had a blood alcohol level of 0.16, twice the legal limit, and was also under the influence of cocaine. He is serving a 10-year prison sentence, which Tellez says brings only a small amount of comfort to those who loved Alvarez.

To help them cope with their loss, Tellez and 20 to 25 friends and family members will participate in Mothers Against Drunk Driving's (MADD) annual Strides for Change 5k fund-raising walk Saturday at the Queen Mary Events Park.

The walk, which is sponsored by Nissan North America Inc., begins at 8:40 a.m. Registration is free.

Those who raise $100 or more will receive a T-shirt.

Although Alvarez's mother, Cecilia Alvarez, is unable to participate, his father, Hank, will be a part of the team.

"MADD was there for us when we were in court, and they were there for my sister emotionally," said Tellez.

"We wanted to do something to help bring awareness to this issue and show support to others who have been victimized by this crime. Our team's name is Alvy59, which was Steven's nickname and also on the back of his football jersey."

Alvarez graduated in 2000 from West Torrance High School, where he played guard and center on the varsity football team. After graduation, he served as the head coach of the school's wrestling team. He also was taking classes at El Camino College and aspired to become a firefighter.

Like Alvarez, the promising lives of countless people have ended because an individual made the decision to drive while intoxicated. In 2005, California reported 1,719 alcohol-related fatal accidents, according to a published list by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Of that total, 1,250 involved drivers who registered a blood alcohol level of 0.08, which is the legal limit.

Nationwide, there were 16,885 deaths in 2005 caused by drunken drivers, with 30 percent of offenders having a blood alcohol level of 0.08. Texas had the highest number of fatalities with 1,569; the District of Columbia reported the lowest with 26. California ranked second highest in the nation.

"How long can these losses go on?" said Tina Pasco, executive director for MADD Los Angeles. "How many loved ones have to die or be maimed because somebody made a bad choice?

"Driving under the influence is a very reckless and selfish crime. But if you ask a drunk driver if they had any idea they might have killed someone before they got behind the wheel, they'd say, `No way."'

GETTING A RIDE
What: Scooter Patrol

When: 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays; other days by reservation only must call by 5 p.m. the same day you need service.

How much: Free

Contact: (562) 577-7365 or www.scooterpatrol.org

What: Long Beach Yellow Cab Co.

When: 24 hours per day, seven days a week

How much: $2.20 base rate, plus $2.20 per mile

Contact: (562) 435-6111 or (888) 529-3556

Long Beach Scooter Patrol
A Long Beach-area business called Scooter Patrol has brought a new meaning to the term "designated driver."

The company is committed to keeping drunk drivers off the road in Seal Beach, Long Beach, Sunset Beach and Huntington Beach.

Founder Anthony Panzica has devised a unique form of free, alternative transportation for intoxicated individuals at bars, sporting events, concerts and other public functions.

"The way it works is that people who are too intoxicated to drive will call us from these places and we dispatch a professional licensed driver to their location," said Panzica. "Once there, the driver will stow a scooter in the trunk of the individual's car and then drive them home in their own vehicle.

"At that time, he will give the individual their keys back, take the scooter out of the trunk and drive away on it."

(A random check found most major insurance companies cover drivers not related to the insured, but some smaller companies may not.)

Panzica formed Scooter Patrol in May 2003. For the first two years, the nonprofit company operated from 7 p.m. to 2 a.m., seven days a week. But Panzica did not have enough manpower to continue with that schedule. So he scaled back his hours to 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. on Friday and Saturday evenings.

On any other day, people can call and reserve a pickup time, providing the location is in the service area.

In addition, a person must call in by 5 p.m. the day they need the service.

"Generally, we'll bend over backward for people," said Panzica. "We don't want to let them down. And we're the last line of defense before drunk driving happens."

Panzica advertises his service by going to drinking establishments and talking to owners and patrons. He is financially supported by various local businesses who furnish scooters, uniforms, cell phones and other necessary gear.

In 2005, Scooter Patrol was awarded the Platinum Key of Life Award from the group Doctors for Designated Driving. Additionally, it has been featured on KABC Channel 7 News, KNBC Channel 4 News and in Sunset Magazine.

Panzica and volunteers for Scooter Patrol will be on hand at Mothers Against Drunk Driving's annual Strides for Change walk at the Queen Mary on Saturday. The company shares MADD's passion to put an end to drunk driving.

Another alternative transportation company, Long Beach Yellow Cab, is also on board with MADD and its mission. The organization, which will be at the Strides for Change walk, assists MADD by placing public service advertisements atop cabs.

Cab service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Yellow Cab Director of Marketing Jimmy Buono says the cost is a $2.20 base charge, plus an additional $2.20 per mile.

"We receive a lot of call from bars," said Buono.

"Even when business is kind of slow in general, we still get a lot of calls from the drinking establishments."

-Luanne J. Hunt

Educating the public about the risks in driving while intoxicated is one of many areas of concern for MADD.

The organization has programs such as Tie One On For Safety, which encourages the public to show support during the Christmas holidays by tying a red MADD ribbon to their vehicle.

Another program, Have a Ball, Baby!, offers a party planning guide with tips on how to host a successful party using MADD's safety guidelines. Suggestions include keeping track of alcoholic beverages consumed by each person and appointing designated drivers for those who overinduldge.

MADD was founded in 1980 by Candy Lightner following the death of her 13-year-old daughter Cari in Fair Oaks. Cari was walking to a school carnival when a drunken driver struck her from behind. The driver had three prior drunken driving convictions and was out on bail from a hit-and-run arrest two days earlier.

By the end of 1982, MADD was going strong, with 100 chapters nationwide. The organization was one of several activist groups responsible for 129 new anti-drunken driving laws being passed in 1983. In 1988, it played a part in convincing the federal government to change the legal drinking age from 18 to 21.

Most recently, MADD was instrumental in having a 0.08 blood alcohol level established as the illegal limit for drunken driving. It has expanded to more than 600 chapters with about 2 million members and supporters.

"MADD has been a valuable tool in fighting to make people aware of how many drunk drivers we have on our streets and highways," said Cecelia Alvarez, a resident of Torrance. "Every year we hear of less drunk drivers. Let's keep fighting for tougher laws."

Pasco says MADD's intention is not to preach against drinking or pass judgment on those who do. It only hopes to inform people about the consequences of driving drunk and prevent them from going to jail. In addition, the organization strives to maintain public awareness by involving entire communities through national campaigns like the Strides for Change walks.

"We have the greatest impact on the social drinker," said Pasco, whose sister was killed by a drunk driver in 1983. "Most of them have said that until they were exposed to our information, they had no idea they were under the influence. But the truth is, even if a person drinks one alcoholic beverage and drives, they are putting others at risk."

Statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration confirm that at a blood alcohol level of 0.01, which is approximately one drink, visual function and choice reaction time are affected.

By the second or third drink, a person's eye movement control, steadiness and coordination begin to significantly decline. These findings are based on a 170-pound male and a 137-pound female.

"At the first drink, everyone starts to go down the path of impairment," said Sergeant Rick Colbert, former head of the Drug Recognition Expert Unit for the Long Beach Police Department. "Your higher reasoning center in the brain is the first to go and then your motor skills. So even if you have one drink, it's not safe to drive."

For those who want to know more about MADD and its programs, information will be set up along the route of the Strides for Change walk. The event also will feature an area where people can post their written views about drunken driving on six-foot canvases. There also will be a Kidz Zone area, Doggy Diner and a health and safety fair. Long Beach Firefighters Local 372 will be giving away free hot dogs to the walkers.

"This event is not just for victims and their families," said Pasco. "It's for everyone who cares about traffic safety. We're not out here to hound anyone or tell anyone what to do. We just want to encourage everyone to make positive choices that will affect their lives and the lives of others."

Luanne J. Hunt is a Hesperia freelance writer.