Plans in the works vs drunk, drugged driving

The 3D Committee is set to meet tomorrow to discuss various issues related to the declaration of Drunk and Drugged Driving Prevention Month, slated for December.

The meeting begins at 10am at the Commonwealth Ports Authority Airport Rescue and Fire Fighting station conference room.

According to vice chair Rose Ada-Hocog, the 3D committee—which stands for Drunk and Drugged Driving—is determined to raise the public’s awareness on the effects of drunk and drugged driving, and will meet to discuss plans on how to do so.

“The first thing is to get the community involved,” she said in an interview yesterday. “We’re going to need more voices behind this project, and this meeting will be used to provide more roles for the other agencies.”

Ada-Hocog said letters about the meeting and the month-long prevention campaign have been sent to several government and private agencies.

“If we can have more of them involved, even those representing the various ethnic organizations, then I think this year will be successful because we would be able to have some of our issues or articles translated into different languages,” she said. “Not everybody understands English and we need to be able to reach others also.”

Among the events planned are a mini-event where students from both public and private schools will perform skits on drunk and drugged driving. Ada-Hocog said informational booths will also be available at the event.

“They [students] will perform skits for parents and the public to see. It will be about drunk and drugged driving and the holiday season. Normally, we kick off with a candle light vigil, but this year we’re going to do something different.”

Ada-Hocog said that like last year, those involved, including Santa Claus, would visit schools, hospitals, and the Man’Amko Center.

Ada-Hocog said the committee is currently in search of volunteer designated drivers for the holiday season. Anyone interested may contact committee chair Sgt. Syl Rangamar or Ada-Hocog at 664-9084/5.

Child endangerment

Ada-Hocog also disclosed that the committee and the Mothers Against Drunk Drivers are currently working on a project that would include DUI in the Child Endangerment Act.

“We really want this to go through because a lot of residents…once they drink beer, and you tell them that you’re going to drive, they refuse. When they drink they sometimes don’t think of the passengers. We’ve got to protect our children and our people, and one way is to include Child Endangerment to the list of traffic offenses,” she said.

Ada-Hocog said the project would be brought up to the Legislature.