Delta Zeta sorority pledges to stop drinking and driving and encourages other students to join at a table signing they held this week in the student center.

There was an alcohol-impaired traffic fatality every 52 minutes according to these statistics , in 2013. To raise awareness, Delta Zeta has students sign a pledge every October. The signatures go on a large white banner to eventually be hung up after it’s filled with names.

“Every year Delta Zeta’s nationals gives us a week in October typically, and it’s alcohol awareness week,” said Anhelica Rodriguez, a junior fashion merchandising major and risk management chair of Delta Zeta sorority. “We wanted to target Kent State students and we are trying to get them to sign a pledge saying they won’t drink and drive this Halloween, this semester and hopefully for the rest of their college term and years on after that.”

Throughout the entire week of this event, Rodriguez estimated the banner held a couple hundred signatures.

“We’ve had so many people coming through,” Rodriguez said.

After the banner is filled up, Rodriquez hopes to have the banner hanging up on the second floor of the student center to help raise awareness to students.

“The banner is most effective in helping raise awareness because people have the choice to sign and show their support,” said Heather Kostensky, a junior education major and vice president of Delta Zeta sorority. “As they sign the banner they get to learn about how drunk driving can affect someone’s life, which really can alter their views.”

Thousands of people lose their lives over drunk driving every year, said Rodriguez. She said she hopes students take the pledge seriously because there is no positive effect of drinking and driving.

“So many people are affected by drunk driving and our community in general is affected by it so we felt like it was it was important especially to stress to KSU students.” Rodriguez said. “They don’t even understand that even buzzed driving is still drunk driving.”

It’s not uncommon to find someone who knows at least one person who has been affected by drunk driving.

“I know too many young people that have gotten into either accidents or have been affected by drunk driving,” said Kevin Muskiewicz, a senior finance major. “I think it should stop.”

Dana Miller is the safety and transportation reporter for The Kent Stater. Contact her at [email protected].