CLARION, Pa. (EYT) – PennDOT, in partnership with officials from the Armstrong-Indiana-Clarion Drug and Alcohol Commission, placed 14 flags in the courthouse lawn on August 26, in order to bring attention to alcohol-related traffic accidents.

(Pictured above: Clarion County Sheriff Rex Munsee and Sergeant Scott Bauer, along with PennDOT and Drug and Alcohol Commission officials gather to raise DUI awareness.)

Each U.S. flag represents one alcohol-related fatality in Clarion County in the past five years. The event was put on to kick off DUI awareness for the Labor Day holiday.

“We’re raising awareness as part of the NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) ‘Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over’ campaign,” said Jeff Grim, of the IUP Safety Highway Project.

The federally funded project aims to increase seat belt use rates and public awareness about highway safety issues throughout the region.

Clarion County Sheriff Rex Munsee and Sergeant Scott Bauer were also present for the event. State troopers will be increasing enforcement over the Labor Day weekend in order to enforce safe driving.

Along with alcohol-related crashes, Grim said distracted driving and motorcycle and drug-related crashes have been on the rise in the region.

“I think distracted driving is always a concern. In general, things are getting better,” Grim stated.