DUI Saturation Patrols planned for Super Bowl Sunday

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contacts: Lt. Jeff Hallock (714) 904-7042, Gail Krause, (714) 647-1840

DUI Saturation Patrols Planned for Super Bowl Sunday

SANTA ANA, California (January 30, 2014) – As the Super Bowl approaches and football fans across the country prepare for the game, the National Football League (NFL) the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS), and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) have joined forces with the Orange County “Avoid the 38” DUI Task Force to spread the message about designating a sober driver on Super Bowl Sunday, because – Fans Don’t Let Fans Drive Drunk.

Nationally in 2012, alcohol-impaired-driving crashes took 10,322 lives. Californians witnessed 802 deaths in DUI crashes on their streets and highways. These crashes were 31 percent more likely to occur on weekends than on weekdays.

The DUI taskforce will deploy special saturation patrols in communities around the county and every regularly scheduled patrol officer will be watching for the tell-tale signs of impaired driving before, during and after the game.

The “Avoid the 38” DUI Task Force offers these safety tips for game day:

If you’re attending a Super Bowl party or watching the game at a sports bar or restaurant
Designate your sober driver, or plan another way to get home safely before the party begins
If you don’t have a designated driver, ask a sober friend for a ride home; call a cab, friend, or family member to come and get you; or just stay for the night
Remember, your seat belt is your best defense against a drunk driver in a crash

If you’re hosting a Super Bowl party
§ Make sure all your guests designate a sober driver in advance, or arrange for alternate transportation to ensure they get home safely

§ Serve food and include non-alcoholic beverages at the party

§ Stop serving alcohol at the end of the third quarter of the game and begin serving coffee and dessert

§ Keep the numbers for local cab companies handy, and take the keys away from anyone who has had too much to drink

Never let friends drive if they have had too much to drink. Stay connected with OTS via: https://www.facebook.com/CaliforniaOTS; http://twitter.com/#!/OTS_CA or www.ots.ca.gov.

The “Avoid the 38” DUI Task Force is funded by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that reminds everyone to report drunk drivers by calling 9-1-1.