Like most people, I am a huge football fan. My son plays football for the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers and I played football as an undergraduate at Dartmouth College. Also like most people, I love Super Bowl Sunday. What I don’t love is the thought of so many people drinking and driving on Super Bowl Sunday. Unfortunately, I have far too often represented people who were injured due to the actions of a drunk driver, and it is tragic and senseless. So I urge people not to drink and drive on Super Bowl Sunday (or ever). If you are going to drink at a Super Bowl party, have a designated driver take you home, call a taxi or, if necessary, sleep at the party location.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), alcohol-impaired crashes claimed a life every 51 minutes in 2010. On Super Bowl Sunday alone, 40 percent of fatalities from motor vehicle crashes are connected to drunk driving.
NHTSA also offers these additional safety tips:
- Designate your sober driver or have an alternate transportation plan before the party begins.
- Avoid drinking too much alcohol too fast. Pace yourself – eat enough food, take breaks, and alternate with non-alcoholic drinks.
- If you don’t have a designated driver, ask a sober friend for a ride home; call a cab, friend, or family member to come and get you; or just stay where you are and sleep it off until you are sober.
- Use your community’s sober ride program.
- Never let a friend leave your sight if you think they are about to drive and have had too much to drink.
- Always buckle up – it’s still your best defense against other drunk drivers.
If you are hosting a Super Bowl party:
- Remember, you could potentially be held liable and prosecuted if someone you served ends up in a drunk-driving crash (dram shop liability is usually applied to bars and restaurants, but homeowners may also be found liable under dram shop laws).
- Make sure all of your guests designate their sober drivers in advance, or help arrange alternate transportation.
- Serve lots of food and include lots of 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.
Attorney Eric Hageman represents accident victims and their families throughout the United States. He was recently named as an Attorney of the Year by Minnesota Lawyer, a legal publication. To contact Eric about a lawsuit against a drunk driver for personal injury or wrongful death, call 1-888-377-8900 (toll free) or submit our free consultation form.