We couldn’t have said it better ourselves! The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has some great statistics and pointers for you this Super Bowl Sunday.
Super Bowl Sunday continually ranks as one of the most dangerous times of the year for drunk driving deaths. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 43 percent of all traffic fatalities on Super Bowl Sunday (and the early hours of the following morning) in 2012 were caused by drunk driving, compared to an average of 31 percent for the year as a whole.
Whether attending the game, watching at a sports bar or hosting a party, NHTSA is reminding everyone that Fans Don’t Let Fans Drive Drunk and to ensure a designated driver is a member of their team. The agency also offers these additional safety tips:
- Designate your sober driver or have an alternate transportation plan before the party begins.
- Avoid drinking too much alcohol too fast. Pace yourself – eat enough food, take breaks, and alternate with non-alcoholic drinks.
- If you don’t have a designated driver, ask a sober friend for a ride home; call a cab, friend, or family member to come and get you; or just stay where you are and sleep it off until you are sober.
- Use your community’s sober ride program.
- Never let a friend leave your sight if you think they are about to drive and have had too much to drink.
- Always buckle up – it’s still your best defense against other drunk drivers.
If you are hosting a Super Bowl party:
- Remember, you can be held liable and prosecuted if someone you served ends up in a drunk-driving crash.
- Make sure all of your guests designate their sober drivers in advance, or help arrange alternate transportation.
- Serve lots of food and include lots of non-alcoholic beverages at the party.
- Stop serving alcohol at the end of the third quarter of the game and begin serving coffee and dessert.
- Keep the numbers for local cab companies handy, and take the keys away from anyone who has had too much to drink.
Source: NHTSA.gov
