‘Don’t drink and drive, save a life’

As part of its response to the high rate of intoxicated motorists and traffic related fatalities, the Department of Public Safety Drunk and Drugged Driving Prevention committee took their campaign to the streets yesterday, joined by hundreds of students and teachers from various schools, to discourage drunk driving.

Dubbed the 3D Road Side Plea, the event included participants from Marianas High School waving posters at the school’s intersection in Susupe; students and teachers from Dandan Elementary School congregating at the Shell Gas Station intersection in Dan Dan; Saipan Southern High School and Koblerville Elementary School representatives at the intersection by Saint Jude Church; and Hopwood Junior High School and San Antonio Elementary School representatives in front of the HJHS campus in Chalan Piao.

“This is the first time we’ve asked student to come out and do this roadside plea,” said 3D vice chair Rose Ada-Hocog. “They’re the ones going to celebrate prom and also a lot of them are already driving…we want them to take part in informing the community about the dangers of drinking and driving. Also, one of the best ways to get to the parents is to get to the kids, so when you get to the kids, the message would keep spreading.”

“It turns out, this became a family event for Saipan residents as even mothers and fathers, brothers and sisters are out here. We have teachers and also faculty members,” she added.

Marianas High School senior president Vincent San Nicolas agreed with Ada-Hocog, citing the need to spread the word. “We got all our students together who really care and we’re just trying to make a difference in our community. Statistics show that even teenagers are driving drunk, and we need to stop it.”

Fellow senior Ashley Duazo said she wanted to take part in the event because she “supports the idea to stop people from drinking and driving because it would save a life.”

MHS vice principal Karen Borja was also on hand to show her support and express her appreciation to the students.

“I think this is excellent that students are supporting 3D prevention,” she said. “I hope more students would absorb this because there’s too many accidents involving drugs and alcohol. I think you have to start at a young age to get the message out.”

The Road Side Plea continues this Friday, Nov. 26 as students from Kagman high and elementary schools and Cha Cha Oceanview Junior High School would be stationed at the Santa Soledad area, students from Tanapag Elementary School in front of their campus, and Gregorio T. Camacho Elementary School students in front of the fire station in San Roque.

Other 3D events are presentations at various schools; Life Saver Bagging scheduled at the Joeten Hafa Adia Center, Price Costco, and Dolphins Wholesale on Nov. 27, and Joeten Hafa Adai Center on Nov. 28; and Cops in the Shop beginning the weekend after Thanksgiving Day.

The Cops in the Shop program would feature a police officer in uniform serving non-alcoholic beverages in bars at least once a week.

Also, a mini-fair would be held on Dec. 3 that would include performances from students who would perform skits dealing with drunk driving.

Statistics provided by the DPS Traffic Section indicate that 254 DUI arrests were made in the first nine months this year, majority of which involved males.

Also, 63 crashes involving DUI were recorded from January to August.

On average, DPS officers respond to nearly 30 DUI incidents a month.

Last year, a total of 365 DUI cases were reported, 17 of which involved drivers under the age of 21 years, and 131 involving crashes. A total of 422 cases were reported in 2002, with 36 incidents involving drivers under 21 years of age.

Statistics also indicate that a total 2,142 accidents were recorded from January to August this year, 89 cases or 4.3 percent higher than the number recorded last year, which totaled 2,053 in the first eight months.