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What is the game plan for Super Bowl 50: are you drinking or driving?
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02/02/2016 LICKING COUNTY, OHIO – The Super Bowl is America’s most watched national sporting event. This Super Bowl Sunday, Feb. 7, there will be lots of game day socializing and celebrating that may include drinking. That’s why the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Licking County Health Department’s Safe Communities Coalition are urging football fans to call the play now: drinking OR driving.
If the plan is to drink on Super Bowl Sunday, designate a sober driver to complete the play and get home safely. NHTSA’s Fans Don’t Let Fans Drive Drunk campaign encourages people to make plans ahead of time that will prevent them from getting behind the wheel of a vehicle after drinking. Driving impaired could result in injury or death.
The Safe Communities Coalition is sending out reminders the week before Super Bowl Sunday with flyers at some local pizza shops. “Lots of people choose to have Super Bowl parties at home,” said Carrie Minor, Safe Communities Coordinator Licking County Health Department. “These flyers are our way of sending out reminders to the community to make a plan if they are hosting a party or attending a party with alcohol. Whether playing the game or watching it, it is all about keeping each other in the game.”
According to data from NHTSA, in 2014, 9,967 people were killed in alcohol-impaired-driving crashes in the United States—that is 31 percent of all vehicle crash fatalities in the nation. The numbers go even higher on weekends. There were 5,447 alcohol-impaired driving fatalities, making up 40 percent of all fatalities that occurred during weekends. A driver is considered alcohol-impaired with a blood alcohol concentration of .08 or higher, the set limit in all states. This Super Bowl weekend don’t become a tragic statistic.
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“Drunk driving is completely preventable and unacceptable,” said Lt. Kevin Miller Ohio State Highway Patrol Granville Post Commander. “All it takes is a little planning. We want fans to remember that it’s a choice. Drink or drive, but never do both.”
For those who plan to drink, leave the keys at home. Designate a sober driver, whether it’s a friend, relative, taxi, ride share or public transportation. Use NHTSA’s new SaferRide mobile app. The app helps people who have been drinking get a safe ride home; it helps users call a taxi or a friend and identifies their location so they can be picked up. The app is available on Google Play and the iTunes store.
Whether rooting for the Bronco’s or the Panther’s, choose to drink or drive, never both. Here are a few tips to keep safe and have a sure win:
- If hosting a Super Bowl 50 party: serve plenty of food and non-alcoholic beverages to your sober guests. Designate a responsible driver before the game begins. One way to thank your designated driver is by tweeting us their name during Super Bowl 50, which will appear on NHTSA’s Wall of Fame.
- If drinking: do not drive. Before the game make plans to get home safely. Don’t risk getting a DUI, which could cost $10,000 in fines, fees and jail time or risking someone’s life.
- For those who plan to drive or be the designated driver: refrain from any alcohol. Instead, enjoy the game with food and non-alcoholic drinks. Being a sober, designated driver is a key role on Super Bowl Sunday. It could save a life.
For more Super Bowl weekend safety information, visit www.trafficsafetymarketing.gov/SuperBowl.
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“The Licking County Health Department serves more than 160,000 citizens in the Licking County General Health District by preventing disease, protecting the environment and promoting healthy lifestyles with a vision of healthy people living in healthy communities.”
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