This year, no matter your game day plans, make sure that they do not involve driving after consuming alcoholic beverages. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there is an uptick of deaths linked to alcohol consumption on Super Bowl Sunday, a day traditionally celebrated by drinking.
AAA is offering a few tips for game day celebrations that can eliminate the need for getting behind the wheel after downing a few too many beers.
The Senior Public Affairs Specialist for the automotive agency stated, “Make your winning drive a sober one and designate a driver before you stock up on the wings, nachos and beer. Don’t fumble when it comes to safety.”
Below are some suggestions for a safer celebration.
— Pre-arrange a ride with a designated driver.
— Call a sober friend or relative for a sober ride home.
— Use a ride-sharing service like Uber or Lyft, or call a taxi.
— If you are at a friend’s house, sleep it off for a few hours or spend the night where you are.
Party hosts can avoid liability for their guests’ overindulging and then getting into an accident by doing the following:
— Serve non-alcoholic drinks and plenty of food to soak up all that alcohol.
— Close the bar before the fourth quarter starts and only serve coffee, dessert and alcohol-free drinks.
— Coordinate ride-sharing efforts among sober drivers.
— Confiscate keys from impaired drivers and offer to call them a taxi instead.
— Provide pillows and blankets for intoxicated guests to sleep off the booze before departing. Call it an adult slumber party.
If you wind up injured by an over-served drunk driver on Super Bowl Sunday, you may need to take legal action in order to receive compensation for your injuries and other damages.
Source: WSET, “AAA offers tips to have a safe Super Bowl Sunday,” Catherine Doss, Feb. 02, 2017