Drinks At The Super Bowl Party Designate Before You Celebrate
Super Bowl LVI / February 13, 2022 (Sunday)
Each year, the Super Bowl garners millions of viewers, with many taking the opportunity to cheer on their favored team with a night out or by attending a party. To help keep us all safe on the roads, NHTSA is teaming up with Arkansas and local highway traffic safety advocates and organizations to remind football enthusiasts that: Fans Don’t Let Fans Drive Drunk and Friends Don't Let Friends Drive Drunk..
This year, the Big Game falls on February 13, 2022. If your night involves alcohol outside your home, plan for a sober ride home. If you’re hosting a party, take care of your guests. Keep reading for tips on how to stay safe on Super Bowl Sunday.
Every day, in the United States one person every 52 minutes dies in a drunk-driving crash.* Plan a safe ride home. Arkansas, be safe. Don’t drink and drive.
Designated Drivers
- Take your role as designated driver seriously — people are relying on you. If you’re attending a party, enjoy the food and nonalcoholic drinks. Refrain from any alcoholic beverages or other drugs.
- Boast about your MVP status on social media using the hashtag #DesignatedDriver. Your positive influence could help keep other sober drivers on the right track.
- Always buckle your seat belt and require any passengers to do the same. Don’t start the car until all passengers’ seat belts are buckled.
- If someone you know has been drinking and tries to drive, take their keys and help them get home safely. Even if they make a fuss in the moment, they’ll thank you later.
Prepare for a Safe Huddle
If you plan to attend a party, make sure your evening includes a plan for getting home safely. Follow these safety tips, and you’ll be on your way to being an MVP.
- You know the rules: It’s illegal to drive drunk. Before you head out to a Super Bowl party, make a game plan that includes a sober driver — someone who will not drink at all, and will safely bring you home.
- Make sure your designated driver is actually sober. If he or she decides to drink unexpectedly, call a sober ride.
- Don’t let friends (and fans) drive drunk. If someone at your party has been drinking, help arrange a safe way for them to get home, too.
- When you ride home with your sober driver, make sure you — and your driver — wear your seat belts. It’s your best defense in a crash.
Hosts
If you are hosting a Super Bowl party, be sure all your guests have a sober ride home.
- Ask your guests to designate their sober drivers in advance.
- Encourage your drinking guests to pace themselves, eat food, and drink plenty of water.
- Serve a selection of nonalcoholic drinks.
- Do not 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. In fact, you can face jail time if you host a party where alcohol is served to people under the age of 21.
Know the Risks
Impaired driving is a serious problem with serious consequences. Don’t become another statistic.
- Every day, about 28 people in the United States die in drunk-driving crashes — that's one person every 52 minutes. In 2019, these deaths reached the lowest percentage since 1982 when NHTSA started reporting alcohol data — but still 10,142 people lost their lives. These deaths were all preventable.*
- The consequences of drunk driving can be deadly, but they can also be expensive. Drunk drivers can face jail time, the loss of their driver’s license, higher insurance rates, and many other unanticipated expenses, including attorney’s fees, court costs, and lost wages due to time off from work. The average DUI costs approximately $10,000.*
- Know your state’s laws: Refusing to take a breath test in many jurisdictions can result in arrest, loss of your driver’s license, and impoundment of your vehicle. Not to mention the embarrassment of explaining your situation to family, friends, and employers.*
In many communities, drivers are now transporting alcohol more routinely. If your community allows alcohol for carryout, remember to transport it in a leak-proof container, leaving stickers and seals in place. No straws should be placed in the containers. In many states, open containers are prohibited in any seating area of a vehicle, including the driver's side, passenger side, or back seat, even if the vehicle is stopped or parked. Remember that Buzzed Driving Is Drunk Driving. Ensure you are following open container laws.
For Super Bowl LVI, be a team player and remember: Fans Don’t Let Fans Drive Drunk. For more information on the dangers of drunk driving, visit Impaired Driving.
Choosing a designated driver could be one of the most important decisions you make.
MAKE THE CHOICE DESIGNATE BEFORE YOU CELEBRATE
Arkansas State Police Highway Safety Office
