Fans Don't Let Fans Drive Drunk

NEWS RELEASE For more information: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Jim Shuler, Public Affairs 404-656-6996 FEBRUARY 1, 2008 [email protected]

Super Bowl Sunday Safety.. Fans Don't Let Fans Drive Drunk (ATLANTA) As the Patriots and Giants face off this weekend, the big game can make for many anxious moments on the field, but at least the Super Bowl title only seems like a matter of life and death to super fans. However, your trip home from the game could truly turn out to be a life altering experience if you’re riding with an impaired driver. SUPER BOWL – SUPER DANGEROUS That’s because when the game day stats are in, Super Bowl Sunday ranks as one of the year’s most dangerous days on the nation’s roadways.. due to drunk driving. GAME DAY STATS 2006 Just last year, 39-percent of all traffic fatalities during the 2006 Super Bowl weekend involved impaired drivers with blood alcohol concentration (BAC) levels of .08 or higher. GAME DAY STATS 2005 And according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) that was no statistical anomaly: During Super Bowl weekend 2005, 41-percent of traffic crash fatalities also involved drivers with a BAC of .08 or more. SCOUTING REPORTS It’s tragic. We can already predict who will be the most likely DUI crash fatalities because the game day stats don’t lie. NHTSA reports show that young males, ages 21- to-34, are most likely to be involved in DUI car crashes. Why? Because that’s the one demographic most likely to drive while impaired AND among the least likely to wear safety belts. Incidentally, research also shows this same age group is the core audience for major sporting events.. like the Super Bowl. CHANGE YOUR ODDS Want to bet on a sure thing? Here are three proven tips to help anyone manipulate the odds in their favor for Super Bowl 2008.. 1. Don’t drink and drive. 2. Plan for a Designated Driver. 3. Always buckle your safety belt. (It’s still your best protection against an unexpected encounter with an impaired driver.) If you host a Super Bowl party, make these safety tips part of your playbook to stay safe on the day of the big game: (Remember, hosts can be held liable and prosecuted if someone they served ends up in an impaired driving crash.)

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Governor’s Office of Highway Safety 34 Peachtree Street—Suite 800—One Park Tower—Atlanta, Georgia 30303 Visit us on the web at www.georgiahighwaysafety.org Sonny Perdue, Governor Robert F. Dallas, Director (PAGE TWO)

 Before kickoff, make sure your guests have Designated sober Drivers.  Never serve alcohol to guests under 21-years-of-age.  Serve plenty of food.. And include soft drinks, juice, and water.  Stop serving alcohol at the end of the third quarter (just like NFL stadiums) and start serving coffee and dessert instead.  Take car keys from anyone who thinks about driving impaired. If you attend a Super Bowl party or watch at your favorite restaurant or sports bar, have a game plan before you leave home:

 Designate your sober driver before the party begins and give them your car keys.  Volunteer to be the Designated Driver or offer to be one next time out.  Before you party, program local cab company numbers in your cell phone so a safe ride is just a call away.  Pace yourself. Avoid drinking too much alcohol too fast. Eat enough food, take breaks, and alternate with non-alcoholic drinks.  Never let a friend out of sight if you think they’re about to drive impaired. OVER THE LIMIT. UNDER ARREST Super Bowl Sunday is one of America’s biggest and most entertaining national sporting events as friends and families gather to socialize and watch the big game. But remember, Georgia enforces DUI laws for those who drive drunk. The message is simple. You drive impaired, you WILL go to jail. It’s Operation Zero-Tolerance. According to Director Bob Dallas of the Governor's Office of Highway Safety, one-of- every-five Georgia crash fatalities is alcohol-related and every one of those alcohol-related deaths could have been prevented. FANS DON’T LET FANS DRIVE DRUNK "Be responsible about your own limits,” says GOHS Director Dallas. “If you plan to party this Super Bowl Sunday, remember impaired driving is no accident – nor is it a victimless crime. Don’t let your Super Bowl weekend end in an arrest, a tragic crash or death. Georgia supports Mothers Against Drunk Driving in their reminder that the perfect end to a perfect game is a safe and sober ride home.” For more information on impaired driving prevention for Super Bowl Sunday visit www.madd.org .

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