AAA Mid-Atlantic: Make Sunday’s Big Game a Time for Friends, Family and Football, NOT Fatalities

PHILADELPHIA, PA, (January 31, 2018) – Festivities for Sunday’s big game are fast approaching with scores of people making plans as to where to watch and what they will eat and drink. AAA Mid-Atlantic advises party planners and football fans to prepare by designating a sober driver or arranging for alternate transportation options. 

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 judgement to make driving unsafe. In 2016, there were 10,497 fatalities in motor vehicle traffic crashes involving drunk drivers.

According to PennDOT data, there were 181 crashes in Pennsylvania during last year’s Super Bowl. Of those crashes, 17 were alcohol-related.

“Drinking and driving is not a game – it’s a deadly combination and a crime – both of which are 100 percent preventable,” said Jana Tidwell, Manager of Public and Government Affairs for AAA Mid-Atlantic. “Make your winning drive a sober one and designate a driver before you indulge in game day spirits.  Don’t fumble when it comes to safety.”

Tips for a Safe Big Game Party

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; call a cab, or stay where you are and sleep it off until you are sober.
• Buckle up—it’s your best defense against other impaired drivers.

Be a responsible host:

• Offer food and non-alcoholic beverages.
• Make sure all of your guests designate their sober drivers in advance, or help arrange ride-sharing with other sober drivers.

• 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 is thinking of driving while impaired.    
  
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AAA provides automotive, travel and insurance services to 57 million members nationwide and more than three million members in Pennsylvania.  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.