Super Bowl Sunday Safety

On Sunday, countless Americans will be watching the nation’s most-watched sporting event, the Super Bowl. Many Georgians will attend Super Bowl parties to watch the Seahawks and Patriots battle for the trophy, while others will go to restaurants and bars to view the event. Regardless of where you will be watching the game, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is urging fans to avoid drinking and driving. If your Super Bowl Sunday plans involve alcohol, plan ahead and designate a driver so that you arrive home safely.

This year, the NHSTA’s Fans Don’t Let Fans Drive Drunk campaign is encouraging fans to plan ahead so that they are not tempted to drive after consuming alcohol. In 2012 alone, alcohol-impaired crashes took the lives of more than 10,000 people. On average that same year, 1 alcohol-impaired fatality occurred every 51 minutes. Don’t let yourself or your friends become a statistic. If you do not have a designated driver, call a car or taxi service before you begin your Super Bowl celebrations.

Hosting a Super Bowl Party

If you’re planning to host a Super Bowl party this Sunday, you can help your guests to get home safely by following the tips below:

• When your guests arrive and before they begin drinking, make sure that they have arranged a sober ride home.
• Encourage guests that are drinking to pace themselves.
• Provide food and non-alcoholic beverages at the get-together, as it offers a safe alternative to drinking.
• Put alcohol away at the end of the third quarter. This would be a good time to serve dessert.
• If any of your guests are thinking about driving drunk, take their keys from them and call a cab. They may not be happy with you at the moment, but will thank you later.
• Thank those at your party who are designated drivers and praise them for their responsible actions.
• If you do not plan to drink at the party, offer to drive guests that are drinking home.

This Sunday should be a day filled with fun and excitement, so plan ahead and make sure that you do not put yourself or your guests in a position to drive under the influence. If you cause a crash while drunk behind the wheel, you will be held liable for injuries and damages to others. Drunk driving will ruin more lives than just your own, so it truly is not worth the risk.