Eight Lehigh Valley law enforcement officers were recognized June 29 for their efforts to make area roads and highways safer for drivers and passengers in the region.

Recognition awards were given by the Lehigh Valley DUI/Highway Safety Task Force to the officers from cities, boroughs and townships in the Lehigh Valley, as well as troopers from the Fogelsville and Belfast barracks of the Pennsylvania State Police.

“These officers represent all the men and women who work around the clock to keep us safe on our roads and highways,” Brian Downs, director of media relations for Lehigh Valley Health Network, said at a ceremony June 29 at the Goodwill Fire Station in Upper Macungie Township.

Downs and William McQuilken, trauma prevention coordinator for LVHN, are the co-chairs of the task force, which each year holds the recognition event in conjunction with the Independence Day holiday.

“This holiday, after Thanksgiving, is the time of year when we see the second highest number of automobile crashes,” Downs said.

The theme of the recognition ceremony was “booze, belts and burns,” with alcohol and fireworks injuries being the factors implicated in most of the emergency room visits over the holiday week, with seat belts being the mitigating factor that can increase the survivability of a highway accident by 50 percent, Downs said.

The officers were recognized for the highest number of apprehensions for driving under the influence and motor vehicle traffic infractions in 2016.

Those recognized were: Officer Craig Berger, of the Allentown Police Department, for 70 DUI arrests; Officer Michael Manfredo of the Bethlehem Police Department, for 1,117 traffic violation citations; Fountain Hill Officer Steven Fritzinger, for 10 DUI arrests; Fountain Hill Officer David Wood for 1,335 traffic violation citations; Sgt. Dathan Schlegel, of the Upper Macungie Township Police Department, for 38 DUI arrests; Cpl. Bryan Losagio, of the Salisbury Township Police Department, with 1,358 traffic violation citations; Trooper Timothy McManus III, of the Fogelsville Barracks of the Pennsylvania State Police and Trooper Stephen Zicker of the Belfast Barracks of the PSP.