Fans Don’t Let Fans Drive Drunk: Make A Game Plan For Super Bowl LVIII And Commit To Sober Driving
Whether you’re hosting a Super Bowl LVIII viewing party or attending one, everyone has an important job: Help keep drunk drivers off the road so we can all make it home safely on game night.
MercyOne and the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) are teaming up to remind football fans everywhere that Fans Don’t Let Fans Drive Drunk.
This year’s Super Bowl is on Sunday, February 11, 2024. Get ahead of the game and create your game plan now. If you’re going out to a Super Bowl party and you plan to drink alcohol, make sure you plan for a designated driver to get you home safely at the end of the night. If you’re hosting a party, prepare plenty of food and non-alcoholic drink options for your guests, especially for the designated drivers. If you’re a designated driver, be the night’s MVP and keep that commitment front and center.
“The Super Bowl is a special night for our community to celebrate, but we need responsible drivers on our roads,” said Sydney R. Leach, MD, MercyOne Emergency Room Medical Director. “If you are planning to be away from home during the Super Bowl, draw up a game plan to ensure you don’t find yourself without a designated driver if you need one. If you’re hosting a party, take care of your designated drivers. Remind your friends and family: Fans Don’t Let Fans Drive Drunk.”
Drunk Driving Data
It is illegal to drive impaired.
More than 13,000 people are killed in drunk-driving crashes annually.
Nearly one person is killed every 39 minutes.
Fatalities in alcohol-impaired-driving crashes increased from 14% to 31% in recent years.
Drunk drivers are often more prevalent at nighttime than during the day.
Drunk drivers were involved in fatal crashes 2.8 times more frequently than during the day.
Males are more likely than females to be driving drunk when involved in fatal crashes.
Drunk driving can have a range of consequences, including the possibility of causing a traumatic crash. These crashes could cause you, someone you love, or a total stranger to suffer serious injuries or even death. Help set up your team — your friends, family, and other party-goers — for a night of success.
Host a Winning Party
Prepare plenty of food.
Provide non-alcoholic drinks for your guests and the designated drivers.
Ask your guests to designate their sober drivers in advance.
Remind drinking guests that they have a long evening ahead and encourage them to pace themselves, eat food, and drink plenty of water.
Never serve alcohol to minors. If an underage person drinks and drives, the person who provided the alcohol can be held liable for any damage, injury, or death caused by the underage driver.
Be the designated driver MVP
Commit to a sober evening.
If you are attending a party or are at a bar or restaurant, enjoy the food, the company, and the nonalcoholic drinks. Your positive influence could help keep them on the right track.
If someone you know has been drinking and tries to drive, take their keys and help them get home safely.
Remember: You’re the night’s quarterback, and others rely on you.
Have a Game Plan to help impaired drivers get home safely
Designate a sober driver.
Call a taxi or rideshare.
Take advantage of your community’s sober ride program
If you see a drunk driver on the road, do not hesitate to contact local law enforcement.
It's simple: Fans Don’t Let Fans Drive Drunk. If you drive drunk, you lose. Commit today to refrain from drunk driving. For more information, visit www.nhtsa.gov/risky-driving/drunk-driving