CHARLOTTE, N.C. (February 1, 2019) – With Super Bowl 53 kicking off this Sunday, AAA Carolinas is reminding motorists not to get behind the wheel after drinking, and to plan ahead whether they are attending or hosting a party for the big game.
According to NCDOT, there were 725 crashes in North Carolina on Super Bowl Sunday 2018 and 54 of those were alcohol related. According to the SCDPS, there were 293 collisions on Super Bowl Sunday 2018 and 21 of those were alcohol related.
“Drinking and driving is not a game – it’s a dangerous behavior that can have deadly consequences,” said Tiffany Wright, President of AAA Carolinas Foundation for Traffic Safety. “Make your winning drive a sober one, because nobody wins when you get behind the wheel impaired.”
For those attending a Super Bowl viewing party, AAA Carolinas offers the following tips:
- Decide ahead of time whether you will be drinking or driving – you cannot do both.
- Plan your ride home before the night begins – whether that be designating a sober driver or planning to use a taxi service/ride sharing service.
- Download a ride-sharing app such as Uber of Lyft for convenience. Play around with the app to familiarize yourself with it.
- Be aware of those around you. If you see someone getting behind the wheel intoxicated, take their keys and assist them in finding a safe ride home.
- If you see a driver on the road who you suspect is impaired, pull over to a safe spot and call 911 – giving police a description of the vehicle.
For those hosting a Super Bowl viewing party:
- If you are hosting a party with alcohol, be a responsible host. Allow guests to stay the night if they need to or find them a safe ride home.
- Have non-alcoholic beverages on hand and stop serving alcohol at least an hour before your guests go home.
- For a list of our best mocktails, click here.
- Serve plenty of food and snacks.
- If you see a guest getting into a vehicle while intoxicated, kindly take their keys and help them find an alternative way home.
Motorists are also advised to keep an eye out for pedestrians who have had too much to drink and may jaywalk and not obey traffic signals. Walking while intoxicated can also be deadly, as coordination and lack of attention puts drunk pedestrians at risk of getting hit by a vehicle. Bar crawlers are urged to keep an eye out for cars, cross at intersections, and obey walk signals.
AAA Carolinas, an affiliate of the American Automobile Association, is a not-for-profit organization that serves more than 2.1 million member and the public with travel, automobile and insurance services while being an advocate for the safety and security of all travelers.
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