A businessman who came close to losing his life in a nasty car crash after drunk-driving has begun an awareness campaign to warn others of the danger it poses to them and their families.

Fogamomi Pelenato Pritchard, who is founder and Managing Director of Bitsolution I.C.T Consulting, told the Samoa Observer that he felt the need to reach out to people to think about their families when they drink and drive. 

"I think it is important for us to raise awareness on the dangers of the subject,” Mr Pritchard said in an interview.

“We have to say something before more people die from drunk incidents on the road, that is how we as Samoans show love.”

The businessman has mainly targeted social media users with his post of his personal experiences and near-death experience on his Facebook page attracting a lot of feedback and reaction.

Emphasising to this newspaper how important it is for a driver to not drink, Mr Pritchard said if anyone went out and knew they were going to consume, then it is best to call a cab.

He also urged people to avoid getting into a car with a driver who is drinking. 

"If you can safely do so, protect others by taking their keys if they attempt to drive after consuming alcohol,” the businessman said. 

“They may be mad at you but the alternative is much worse.” 

Pointing out that he can see the disadvantages of losing loved ones to drinking, Mr Pritchard said he is married with young children and sympathises with families who lose their fathers or mothers to drunk-driving.

In his awareness video on the dangers of drunk-driving, the businessmen urged the public to imagine themselves dying from drunk-driving, and the amount of grief that their families would have to live with.

"If more people speak on the dangers of drunk-driving we can each help save a life," he said.

"I had a bad car accident and I regret it because I was drunk. I realised that my family, wife and kids might have lost me. 

"So I want to create awareness to save others from making the same mistake or even worse, from dying.

"Most times when an accident happens, especially when someone is drunk, people make fun of it but if you realise the impacts of the incidents on the families, those people we see in the photos are sisters and brothers too so negativity does not help.

"That is why I wanted to raise awareness to bring the subject to the homes, to the families and to make it part of our own rather than someone else because we are all a family.”

The Salvation Army in a recent interview with Samoa Observer said that most of the cases referred to them by the Courts are driving under the influence.