Be Super Careful

Make the Big Game a Time for Friends, Family and Football - not Fatalities

(HARTFORD, CT) - As Super Bowl fans across Connecticut make plans for the big game, AAA is reminding everyone to PLAN AHEAD for a safe ride home as well. AAA is urging party planners and party-goers to designate a sober driver or use a ride share service so there is no real loss, regardless of the outcome of the game.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), alcohol-impaired traffic fatalities often spike on holidays and popular drinking days, like Super Bowl Sunday. Drunk driving can be deadly, and even small amounts of alcohol can impair judgment to make driving unsafe.

“Don’t make this a game day decision. Plan ahead for a designated driver or safe alternative to impaired driving,” says Amy Parmenter, spokesperson for AAA in Greater Hartford. “Drinking or doing drugs and driving is not a game – it’s a choice and it’s a crime,”

If motorists see a driver on the road who appears to be impaired, they should ask their passenger to call 911 or pull over to a safe spot on the side of the road and make that call themselves.

AAA Tips for a Safe Celebration

Be a responsible partygoer:

If you plan to drive, don’t drink.
If you plan to drink, select a designated driver and give them your car keys.
If you don’t have a designated driver, ask a sober friend for a ride home or call a cab or a ride share service.
Buckle up - it’s your best defense against other impaired drivers.

Be a responsible host:

Serve food and provide non-alcoholic beverages. Visit www.AAA.com/Mocktails for cocktail recipes without the alcohol.
Make sure all of your guests designate their sober drivers in advance, or help arrange ride-sharing with other sober drivers.
Avoid providing an open bar - mix your guests' drinks yourself.
Stop serving alcohol at the end of the third quarter of the game and begin serving coffee and dessert.
Take the keys away from anyone who is thinking of driving while impaired

CT Mailing Address:
815 Farmington Avenue
West Hartford, CT 06119

AAA provides automotive, travel and insurance services to 58 million members nationwide and more than one million members in Connecticut. AAA advocates for the safety and mobility of its members and has been committed to outstanding road service for more than 100 years. The not-for-profit, fully tax-paying member organization works on behalf of motorists, who can now map a route, find local gas prices, discover discounts, book a hotel and track their roadside assistance service with the AAA Mobile app for iPhone, iPad and Android. For more information, visit www.aaa.com.