O.C. law enforcement will be looking for DUI drivers on Super Bowl Sunday

NEWS, FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contacts: Lt. Jeff Hallock, 714.904.7042, JHallock@ocsd.org; Emily Osterberg, 714.647.1840, EOsterberg@ocsd.org

GAME PLAN FOR SUPERBOWL SUNDAY: ARE YOU DRINKING AND DRIVING?

Fans Don’t Let Fans Drive Drunk

SANTA ANA, Calif. (January 30, 2015) – On Super Bowl Sunday, February 1, 2015, there will be lots of game day socializing that may include drinking. The California Office of Traffic Safety, Sheriff, Police and the CHP are urging football fans to choose sides now: drinking OR driving. If you plan on drinking on Super Bowl Sunday, designate a sober driver to get you home safely.

The Fans Don’t Let Fans Drive Drunk campaign encourages people to make plans ahead of time that will prevent them from getting behind the wheel of a vehicle after drinking. Everyone should be mindful that if you’re taking medication, whether prescription or over-the-counter, drinking even small amounts of alcohol can greatly intensify the impairment effects. Driving impaired could result in injury or death for you or others on the road.

The Orange County Sheriff’s Department’s DUI Task Force will deploy Roving DUI Saturation Patrols during Super Bowl weekend. The DUI operations will be at undisclosed locations within cities patrolled by the Orange County Sheriff’s Department where collision data reveals high incidents of DUI crashes and arrests.

According to data from National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in 2013 there were 867 people killed in alcohol-impaired-driving crashes in California –29 percent of all crash fatalities in the state. A driver is considered alcohol-impaired with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 or higher, the legal limit. This Sunday, don’t become another tragic statistic.

Funding for this operation is provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS), through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. OTS is offering a free mobile app – DDVIP – aimed at thanking the sober designated driver with perks and free offers at area bars and restaurants. The app is available for iPhone and Android.

Never let friends drive if they have had too much to drink. Stay connected with OTS via: http://www.facebook.com/CaliforniaOTS, http://twitter.com/#!/OTS_CA, www.ots.ca.gov. This Super Bowl Sunday be a team player: Fans Don’t Let Fans Drive Drunk at www.TrafficSafetyMarketing.com. For additional information see the attached NHTSA’s “Super Bowl Tips Fact Sheet” below.

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KNOW YOUR ROLE ON SUPER BOWL SUNDAY

Fans Don’t Let Fans Drive Drunk (Super Bowl Fact Sheet)

Are You Drinking?

If so, don’t drive. Follow these tips to have fun, stay alive and avoid getting pulled over or crashing your vehicle on game day.

• Before Super Bowl Sunday, make a game plan that includes a sober driver – someone who is not drinking at all.
• Leave your keys at home and designate a sober driver.
• Consider getting a sober ride or taxi to your destination, so you won’t even have the option later to drive impaired.
• Avoid drinking too much alcohol too fast. Pace yourself. Eat plenty of food, take breaks, and alternate with non-alcoholic drinks.
• Keep track of the number of drinks you consume.
• Stop drinking after the third quarter, just like they do at the actual stadium.
• Make sure your designated driver is sober, not just less intoxicated than you.
• Don’t let others drive drunk. Arrange a safe way for them to get home, too.
• 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 get you; or if possible stay where you are for the night and don’t drive until you are sober.
• When you ride home with your sober driver, wear your seat belt. It’s your best defense in a crash.
• Walking impaired can be just as dangerous as drunk driving. Designate a sober friend to walk you home.

Or Are You Driving?

If so, don’t drink. Your responsible choices can save lives.

• Take your role seriously as the designated sober driver—don’t drink and drive.
• Enjoy the party with food and non-alcoholic drinks.
• Brag about your MVP status on social media using the hashtag #designateddriver.
• Wear your seat belt and require your passengers to do the same.
• If someone you know has been drinking and tries to drive, take their keys and help them get home safely. They’ll thank you later. Fans Don’t Let Fans Drive Drunk.

Are You Hosting a Super Bowl Party?

If so, plan now how you’ll prevent your guests from driving drunk and help get them home safely.

• Ask all of your guests to designate their sober drivers in advance, or help them arrange ride-sharing with sober drivers. If you plan to stay sober, offer to drive guests home.
• Encourage your drinking guests to pace themselves.
• Serve plenty of food and non-alcoholic beverages at the party.
• Stop serving alcohol at the end of the third quarter—this is a good time to serve coffee and dessert.
• Thank the designated sober drivers at your party. You could even acknowledge them on social media using the hashtag #designateddriver.
• Keep the phone numbers of local cab companies on hand and take the keys away from any guests who are thinking of driving drunk.
• Remember, if you serve a guest alcohol and he or she gets in a drunk-driving crash that night, you could be held liable.
• If an underage person drinks and drives, the parent or guardian may be legally liable for any damage, injury or death caused by the underage driver.
• Likewise, parents or other adults who provide alcohol to – or host a party where alcohol is available to – those under age 21, could face jail time.

Are You Aware of the Risks?

Drunk driving is a serious problem with serious consequences. Don’t become a Super Bowl stat.

• In 2012 alone, there were 10,322 people killed in alcohol-impaired-driving crashes, 31 percent of all crash fatalities.
• An average of 1 alcohol-impaired-driving fatality occurred every 51 minutes in 2012.
• Drunk drivers face jail time, the loss of their driver licenses, higher insurance rates, and dozens of other unanticipated expenses ranging from attorney fees, court costs, car towing and repairs, and lost wages due to time off from work.
• The average DUI case costs approximately $10,000.

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