“There is absolutely no reason to get behind the wheel after drinking,” began Ocean City Police Chief Ross Buzzuro. “If you will be drinking, make a plan to get home safely before you go out. Designate a sober driver before the party begins, call a cab or arrange to stay where the party is occurring.”
According to Maryland crash data, an average of 175 people have lost their lives in each of the past five years to alcohol-related crashes. Nationally, 9,878 people were killed in alcohol-impaired-driving crashes in 2011 (the last year of complete national data) and those crashes were 31 percent more likely to occur on weekends than on weekdays.
If you’re attending a Super Bowl party or watching the game at a sports bar or restaurant:
- Designate your sober driver, or plan another way to get home safely before the party begins.
- If you don’t have a designated driver, then ask a sober friend for a ride home; call a cab, friend, or family member to come and get you; or just stay for the night.
- Use your community’s sober ride program.
- Never let friends drive if they have had too much to drink.
If you’re hosting a Super Bowl party:
§ Make sure all your guests designate a sober driver in advance, or arrange for alternate transportation to ensure they get home safely.
§ Serve food and include non-alcoholic beverages at the party.
§ Stop serving alcohol at the end of the third quarter of the game and begin serving coffee and dessert.
§ Keep the numbers for local cab companies handy, and take the keys away from anyone who has had too much to drink.
And remember, your seat belt is your best defense against a drunk driver in a crash.
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