Drive Briefs

Park Place Infiniti promotes safe driving at event

Dense clouds set a somber mood at the “You Drink, You Drive, You Lose” event held by University Medical Center in front of its Trauma Center on Dec. 12.

Park Place Infiniti, a gold-level sponsor of the event promoting safe driving.

“As a local car dealership and community-minded business, we’re committed to promoting safe driving,” said Joe Tortomasi, general manager of the Park Place Infiniti dealership at 5605 W. Sahara Avenue. “This event vividly highlights just how real and how permanent the damage caused by drunk drivers can be. We hope that as people celebrate the New Year and other occasions, these young people will make wise decisions.”

“You Drink, You Drive, You Lose” was co-sponsored by more than 20 local public safety, medical and community organizations. About 150 local high school students attended this year’s event.

The students, all driving age, heard from people who have lost a loved one as a result of a drunk driving accident.

Attendees also had the opportunity to sit in the “seat belt convincer” and go “under the influence” using special goggles to learn just how little alcohol it takes to become impaired.

Las Vegas Metropolitan Police and the Nevada Highway Patrol reported that 54 people have died in drug- or alcohol-related traffic incidents this year in the Las Vegas Valley as of Dec. 14.