Individuals throughout the state of Pennsylvania die due to the negligence of others each day. One circumstance under which many of these deaths occur is car accidents. Many of these fatal motor vehicle accidents are caused by drunk drivers.

Recently, a memorial to individuals of all ages who lost their lives in drunk driving or drugged driving accidents made a stop in a Pennsylvania community. Dubbed the DUI Moving Memorial, it is a mobile version of the permanent memorial found at the office of the Pennsylvania DUI Association. The replica has been recreated in a 30 foot trailer and contains the names of 2,200 individuals who died due to impaired drivers. Though the names on the moveable version are painted on, in the permanent garden each name has been engraved in a brick.

The memorial will make stops throughout the state during the Operation Safe Holiday initiative that runs between Thanksgiving and New Years.

As a part of Operation Safe Holiday, seat belt laws and other traffic laws will be enforced. In 2011, the holiday season in Pennsylvania saw the death of 92 individuals in car accidents. The goal of the law enforcement is ultimately not to make as many arrests as possible, but rather to make the holiday season as safe as possible, hopefully safer than last year.

It is undeniable that some accidents are unavoidable. Those due to drivers who are intoxicated however most definitely are. Perhaps the best gift residents of Pennsylvania can give each other this holiday season is to only get behind the wheel to drive if sober.

Source: Tribune-Review, "Thousands of DUI victims memorialized in moving tribute," Jennifer Reeger, Dec. 6, 2012