The Super Bowl is America’s most watched national sporting event. On Feb. 7, Super Bowl 50 Sunday, there will be game-day socializing that may include drinking.
That is why the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the Kentucky Office of Highway Safety (KOHS) and law enforcement officials are urging football fans to call the play now: drinking OR driving.
If you plan on drinking on Super Bowl Sunday, designate a sober driver to get you 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 for you or others on the road.
According to NHTSA, in 2014, 9,967 people were killed in alcohol-impaired-driving crashes in the United States— 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 Sunday, don’t become a tragic Super Bowl statistic.
“Drunken driving is completely preventable,” said KOHS Executive Director Bill Bell. “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 your keys at home. Designate a sober driver, whether it’s a friend, relative, taxi, ride share or public transportation. Download the free “Drive Sober Kentucky” app for phone numbers to taxi and limousine services and sober ride programs, along with a one-touch dial feature to report a drunken driver.
For those who plan to drive, 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.
You might just save a life.
From KOHS