TIJUANA.- The municipal government and a business association launched Friday a campaign to urge young people to not drink and drive.
The goal of the campaign, called "Generación VxT, Valores por Tijuana," or "Values for Tijuana," is to raise awareness among 16- to 25-year-olds about what it means to drive a vehicle having consumed alcoholic beverages to excess.
In Mexico, the legal drinking age is 18 and car accidents, as in the United States, remain one of the leading causes of injury and death.
Mayor Carlos Bustamante said that Tijuana's young people require this type of campaigns to fine tune their values and reinforce their responsibilities.
"We all know that we need young people to be more aware of their actions. We need to take this type of project to the high schools and universities to urge them to be more careful, instead of later regretting their actions," the mayor said. "It's our responsibility to do so."
He said young people should be aware, too, that they should not let others drive who are drunk.
The message of the campaign will be disseminated through ads in the media, billboards and other signs, pamphlets, visits by spokespeople to high schools and colleges, and even a theater production that highlights the dangers of drinking and driving.
The campaign will cost $120,625, of which $69,450 will be contributed by the municipal government and the rest by the business group.
Juan Manuel Hernández, the local president of the association of business owners of Mexico, known as Coparmex, said this year's effort continues last year's campaign, called "Valores por Tijuana," which called attention to the positive actions residents were doing.
"This year we're presenting 'Generación VxT,' which seeks to raise the awareness of young people who consume alcoholic beverages, focusing on the responsibilities they have," Hernández said.
Omar.millan@sandiegored.com
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