As football fans gather to watch the Baltimore Ravens and the San Francisco 49ers for Super Bowl XLVII this Sunday, local law enforcement agencies are reminding motorists to avoid drinking and driving on game day, or risk a DUI arrest.
Extra patrols units will be deployed throughout Los Angeles County to crack down on DUI arrests this Super Bowl Sunday.
The Avoid the 100 DUI Task Force announced Tuesday that there will be roving DUI patrols in several communities throughout the county Sunday, Feb. 3. These patrol units, along with regularly scheduled patrol officers, will be looking for drivers impaired by drugs and alcohol.
“Motorists can expect police, sheriff and CHP to have a visible presence and to stop anyone who makes the dangerous decision to drink and drive,” Glendora Police Chief Rob Castro said in a written statement.
The Avoid the 100 offers the following tips for a safe Super Bowl Sunday:
If you’re attending a Super Bowl party or watching the game at a sports bar or restaurant:
- Designate your sober driver before the party begins.
- Avoid drinking too much alcohol too fast. Pace yourself.
- Eat plenty of food, take breaks, and alternate with non-alcoholic drinks.
- 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 if possible stay where you are for the night and don’t drive until you are sober.
- Use your community’s sober ride or enter www.ruok2drive.com in your smartphone’s browser for the OTS Cab Finder.
- Never let friends drive drunk. Arrange a safe way for them to get home.
- Always buckle up. It’s still your best defense against other drunk drivers.
If you’re hosting a Super Bowl party:
- Make sure all of your guests designate their sober drivers in advance, or help arrange ride-sharing with sober drivers.
- Serve plenty of food and non-alcoholic beverages at the party. ·
- Host your party just like they do at the stadium. Stop serving alcohol at the end of the third quarter of the game. The fourth quarter is perfect for serving coffee and dessert. ·
- Keep the phone numbers of local cab companies on hand and take the keys away from anyone who is thinking of driving drunk.
- Remember, you can be held liable and prosecuted if someone you served ends up in a drunk-driving crash.
- If an underage person drinks and drives, the parent 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.
