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COLUMBUS — Super Bowl LVII is Sunday, Feb. 12 and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is encouraging football fans to commit to sober driving.
The NHTSA has teamed up with TxDOT and Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service to implement a Fans Don’t Let Fans Drive Drunk campaign to remind people to plan for a designated driver to get them home safely, if they are thinking about drinking alcohol while enjoying the football game.
“We want our community members to enjoy Super Bowl festivities, but we also want responsible drivers on our roads,” said AgriLife Extension Family and Community Health Agent Ja’Shae Carter, Colorado County. “If you are planning to be away from home during Super Bowl, make a game plan to ensure you don’t find yourself without a designated driver if you need one. If you’re hosting a party, make sure you take care of your designated drivers.”
The following tips, provided by a release, are ways football fans and designated drivers can prepare for the game.
Be the DD MVP
The NHTSA wants designated drivers to know they are the night’s MVP. If you are attending a party or are at a bar or restaurant, enjoy the food, the company, and the nonalcoholic drinks; encourage other designated drivers on social media by using the hashtag #DesignatedDriver.
Host a winning party
If you’re hosting a party for this year’s Super Bowl, prepare plenty of snacks and nonalcoholic 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 of them, and encourage them to pace themselves, to eat food, and to drink plenty of water. Another important reminder: 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.
Have a game plan
The NHTSA is also encouraging those attending a party or going to a bar or restaurant to make a game plan and follow these simple tips for a safe and happy evening:
• Remember that it is never okay to drink and drive. Even if you’ve had only one alcoholic beverage, designate a sober driver or plan to use a ride service or call a taxi or sober friend to get home safely.
• If available, use your community’s sober ride program • If you see a suspected drunk driver on the road, call 911 immediately
• Do you have a friend who is about to drink and drive? Take the keys away and make arrangements to get your friend home safely.
The NHTSA wants fans to remember, only one team wins Super Bowl, but if you drive drunk, you lose. According to the organization, 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.
For more information, visit nhtsa.gov/risky-driving/ drunk-driving.
