While holidays such as New Year’s Eve and the Fourth of July are well known for an increase in drunk driving incidents, the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has begun highlighting another time of increased drinking and driving: the Super Bowl. Due to the amount of parties and bar visits both during the National Football League’s (NFL) playoffs and the championship game itself, there is a much greater likelihood that partygoers will choose to overindulge and drive.
As such, the NHTSA’s Super Bowl Impaired Driving Prevention Campaign will run from January 2 through February 6 and is bringing awareness to the fact that many will choose to drink and drive, and stresses that “Super Bowl fans don’t let fans drive drunk.” According to the NHTSA, there were 10,228 people killed in fatal auto accidents that involved at least one legally drunk driver during 2010. To prevent drunk driving accidents during the football playoff season, the NHTSA recommends:
- Choosing a responsible designated driver before beginning a party and rewarding him or her with payment for gas, a good seat to see the game, and first pass at the food;
- Serving plenty of food to lessen the effects of alcohol;
- Offering a wide range of non-alcoholic drinks, as well;
- Regulating alcohol serving and determine if drinks will be cut off at a certain point; and
- Preparing for calling cab companies or having guests stay the night if needed.
Even when football fans and drivers in general choose to not drive drunk, they are still at risk of being injured by those who choose to do so. Our Northern California DUI injury lawyers are committed to finding justice and compensation for those injured by drunk drivers. If you have been injured in such an accident, contact us today at (800) 900-0863.