Lights-on-for-life campaign on

The Department of Public Safety is urging the public to turn their headlights on during the day on Friday in memory of those who have been killed or injured in an impaired driving incident.

The campaign is part of the Drunk and Drugged Driving Prevention Month, an annual event celebrated nationwide, to save lives by eliminating impaired driving.

For years, DPS has utilized numerous steps to inform the public of the effects of impaired driving.

But according to Acting DPS Commissioner Claudio K. Norita, the message doesn’t seem to reach the public as shown by a high number of fatalities this year.

As of yesterday, DPS has reported eight traffic fatalities, five were alcohol-related compared with three last year.

“I think we need to concentrate on prevention and education efforts on our part. We need to look at our enforcement, what we’re doing and if we need to change some of our tactics or strategy, we will do so,” Norita said.

“Eventually, at the end of the year, we’ll sit down and look at what we’ve done this year and how we can still improve both education and enforcement efforts,” he added.

Following the Lights on for Life campaign, DPS will hold its Holiday Lifesaver Weekend on Dec. 19 and 20, a program designed to increase enforcement of impaired driving laws during the December holiday season.

Norita explained that the campaign is being held on weekend before Christmas or New Year’s Eve due to the highest rate of traffic crashes or fatalities during the season.

DPS will also hold displays of law enforcement equipment to inform the public of the latest technology used by law enforcement personnel to protect the islands and its residents.