Jan. 30, 2025 - As New Orleans rolls out the red carpet for Super Bowl LIX in the Superdome on Feb. 9, the Louisiana Highway Safety Commission is rolling out a reminder to everyone watching the game in person and on television: Fans Don’t Let Fans Drive Drunk.
“The big game in the Big Easy means there will be plenty of watch parties across Louisiana,” LHSC Executive Director Lisa Freeman said. “Whether you’re pulling for the Chiefs or the Eagles, let’s all remember to watch for friends who have been drinking. Let’s make sure they have a safe ride home before the party’s over.”
The Super Bowl has grown into a huge event that draws fans of football, advertising, music, and pop culture, usually in a party setting with plenty of alcohol available. Unless you are at your own home, you should have a plan to get a sober ride home or abstain from drinking any alcohol, Freeman said.
“If you are driving, one drink is too much. Even if you’re not above the legal limit of .08, one drink can impact your ability to drive safely,” Freeman said. “Just one serving of alcohol can dull your senses, impact your motor functions, and delay your thought processes, which impairs your judgment and rational thinking.”
Impaired driving is illegal and dangerous, and it remains a serious safety issue in Louisiana. In 2023, 244 traffic fatalities in Louisiana were estimated to be alcohol-related, according to the 2023 Louisiana Traffic Records Summary Report from the Center for Analytics and Research in Transportation Safety at LSU. Also in 2023, alcohol was involved in 47% of rural fatal crashes and in 53% of urban fatal crashes in Louisiana, the report states.
If you are hosting a Super Bowl party, make sure you have plenty of snacks and non-alcoholic drinks, especially water. Ask your non-drinking guests if they would be willing to serve as designated sober drivers in case someone needs a ride.
Freeman suggests that anyone who plans on drinking during a Super Bowl party get a designated driver before the party starts.
“It’s important to do this ahead of time, because once you start drinking, your judgment will be compromised,” she said. “Don’t count on the impaired version of you to be as responsible as the sober you.”
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