Don’t Fumble Safety This Super Bowl Sunday: AAA Texas and MADD Remind Fans to Plan Ahead, Prevent Impaired Driving, and Save Lives

“Super Bowl Sunday is all about teamwork for both players and fans,” said MADD CEO Stacey D. Stewart. “Planning a safe ride home is the ultimate game-winning play. Whether you use a rideshare, designate a sober driver, or take public transportation, the most important decision fans can make is to never drive impaired.”

Just like drunk driving, driving under the influence of drugs is illegal and dangerous. This includes impairment from prescription medications, illicit drugs, over-the-counter medications, or marijuana. Alcohol, marijuana, and other drugs impair your ability to drive by slowing coordination, judgment, and reaction times. AAA Texas research found   a first-time driving-while-intoxicated offense can cost drivers more than $20,000 in fines and legal fees.

While the legal and financial consequences are significant – costing drivers both time and money – the most devastating consequence of impaired driving is the potential loss of life.

“Super Bowl Sunday should be about enjoying the game, not risking lives,” said AAA Texas Corporate Communications Manager Doug Shupe. “If you plan to drink or use cannabis, make sure you have a safe way home before you start celebrating. Driving impaired puts lives at risk – including your own – and it’s never worth the consequences.”

AAA and MADD are committed to curbing impaired driving – not just on Super Bowl Sunday but all year long. Together, they launched a nationwide initiative to reduce impaired-driving fatalities by 20% by 2030.

Over the course of five years, AAA and MADD are partnering to promote driver safety through education, advocacy, enforcement, and research, while working together to drive meaningful policy change. As part of this effort, both organizations recommend several policies for all U.S. states to help prevent impaired driving and save lives.

Some of the key policy recommendations include:

• All-Offender Ignition Interlocks: States should require all drunk driving offenders to install an ignition interlock device before driving or returning to an unrestricted license.
• Operational Sobriety Checkpoints: States should permit and regularly conduct sobriety checkpoints that are carefully controlled and supervised.
• Alcohol Open Container Laws: States should enact open container laws that meet federal recommendations and prohibit the possession or consumption of open alcoholic beverages in the passenger compartment of a vehicle.
• Lower BAC Limits: States should lower the legal blood alcohol concentration (BAC) limit for drivers from 0.08% to 0.05%.
• Electronic Warrants: States should authorize electronic warrants to speed up the collection of physical evidence in driving under the influence of drugs (DUID) cases when a warrant is required.

AAA and MADD believe implementing these policies nationwide could significantly reduce fatalities while saving states substantial costs associated with impaired-driving crashes.

AAA Texas offers the following tips to ensure safe roads this Super Bowl weekend.

Party Hosts:

• Ask guests to designate a sober driver in advance.
• Keep phone numbers for ride services handy.
• Take car keys from partygoers as they arrive and don’t let them drive impaired.
• Encourage guests to pace themselves. Serve food and non-alcoholic drinks and water. Many mocktail recipes, including those featuring team colors, can be found online.
• Do not serve alcohol or cannabis to anyone under age 21. It is illegal.
• Allow guests to stay overnight, if possible.

Super Bowl Fans and Partygoers:

• Designate a sober driver or safe ride home before attending a Super Bowl party.
• Make sure your designated driver is sober. If he or she decides to drink, call a sober friend or family member for a ride home. Or, if possible, stay where you are for the night.
• Never ride as a passenger in a car driven by someone who has been consuming marijuana or drinking alcohol – even after just one drink.
• If you’re under 21, do not consume alcohol or marijuana. It’s against the law.

Designated Drivers:

• Take your role as designated driver seriously. Refrain from any alcoholic beverages or drugs.
• Always buckle up and require passengers to do the same.
• If someone you know has been drinking or using marijuana, take their keys and help them get home safely.
• If you encounter an impaired driver on the road, keep a safe distance and ask a passenger to call 911 (or pull over to a safe location to make the call yourself).