6NEWS

The billboard up in Charlotte

Billboards are going up around Charlotte that say in Spanish, “If you drink, don’t drive.”

It’s part of a new campaign to educate the Latino community about the dangers of drinking and driving. “The Campaign for Safety,” is a partnership between the Latin American Coalition, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police, and the ABC Board.

The problem of drinking and driving within the Latino community is very real. Last year, CMPD officers arrested 844 Latinos for DUIs, which makes up 21 percent of all DUI arrests. Officers say so far this year, Latinos have made up 17 percent of all DUIs in Charlotte. The problem received wide spread attention earlier this year when Ramiro Gallegos, an illegal immigrant, was sentenced to 14 years for killing a Mt. Holly man in a drunk driving crash. Gallegos had five impaired driving charges in five years.

Jess George, Associate Director with the Latin American Coalition says drinking and driving is against the law in Central and South America, but in many cases it is not as enforced as it is in the United States. She says we’ve had years of education in our society about the risks of drinking and driving, but many Latinos have not. She hopes this campaign will help drive the message home.

The billboards are already up on North Tryon Street, South Boulevard, and Central Avenue. Ads will appear in Spanish newspapers and radio stations. The Latin American Coalition and CMPD officers are also planning community meetings in the spring.