As Super
Bowl LIII quickly approaches, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National
Highway Traffic Safety Administration is teaming up with the Van Buren County
Sheriff’s Office and SAFE Coalition to remind football fans that designated drivers
are the best defense against the dangers of drunk driving. Super Bowl is a
festive night in homes and bars across America, but if your night involves
alcohol, plan for a sober ride home. We want to remind everyone that Fans Don’t Let Fans Drive Drunk.
The Super
Bowl should be a night of fun, so we want our community folks to plan safe
rides home if they plan to be out at a party. Even one drink can impair
judgement. You should never put yourself, or others, at risk because you made
the choice to drink and drive. For most, even one drink can be one too many.
Safety
should be your number one priority: When it’s time to leave the party, make
sure your designated driver is actually sober. If he or she decided to drink, you
should use the SaferRide app or call someone else who you know hasn’t been drinking.
Remember that walking impaired can also be dangerous, so designate a sober
friend to walk home with you if needed. If you are driving, remember that sober
driving isn’t the only law that should be followed: Make sure you—and your
driver—wear your seat belts. It’s your best defense in a crash.
If you’re
planning on being the designated driver, refrain from drinking alcohol—it’s
that simple. People are relying on you. While at the party, enjoy the food, the
company, and non-alcoholic drinks. Encourage other designated drivers on social
media using the hashtag #designateddriver. Let @NHTSAgov know you are the
#DesignatedDriver so we can add your name to the Wall of Fame. Your positive
influence could help keep other sober drivers on the right track. If someone
you know has been drinking and tries to drive, take their keys and help them
get home safely. Even if they make a fuss in the moment, they’ll thank you
later.
If you’re
hosting this year’s Super Bowl party, prepare plenty of snacks and non-alcoholic
beverages for your guests and the designated drivers. Don’t forget to tweet
your designated driver’s name to @NHTSAgov to add their name to the Wall of
Fame, and use the hashtag #designateddriver. They are doing everyone a favor by
keeping drunk drivers off the roads. Ask your guests to designate their sober
drivers in advance, or help them coordinate with other partygoers’ designated
drivers. Encourage your drinking guests to pace themselves, to eat food, and to
drink plenty of water. Another important reminder: Do not serve alcohol to
minors. If an underage person drinks and drives, the person who provided the
alcohol could be held liable for any damage, injury, or death caused by the
underage driver. In fact, you could face jail time if you host a party where
alcohol is served to people under the age of 21.
Before you
head out, make a game plan that includes a sober driver—someone who will not
drink at all, and who will safely bring you home. Follow these simple tips for
a safe and happy evening:
·
Remember that it is never okay to
drink and drive. Even if you’ve had only one alcoholic beverage, designate a
sober driver.
·
Download NHTSA’s SaferRide mobile
app, available on Google Play for Android devices: (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.nhtsa.SaferRide&hl=en), and Apple’s iTunes Store for iOS devices: (https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/saferride/id950774008?mt=8). SaferRide allows users to call a predetermined friend, and
identifies the user’s location so they can be picked up.
·
If you see a drunk driver on the
road, contact the Van Buren County Sheriff’s Office.
·
Have a friend who is about to
drink and drive? Take the keys away and make arrangements to get your friend
home safely.
It is
illegal everywhere in America to drive with a blood alcohol concentration of
.08 or higher. Even still, thousands die each year in drunk-driving-related
crashes. In 2017, there were 10,874 people killed in drunk-driving crashes. The
costs can be financial, too: If you’re caught drinking and driving, you could
face jail time, lose your driver’s license and your vehicle, and pay up to
$10,000 in attorney’s fees, fines, car towing and repairs, higher insurance
rates, and lost wages.
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