Warren County Safe Communities Coalition Tells Drivers: Call The Right Play for Super Bowl LI and Pass The Keys To A Sober Driver Before The Big Game Begins

MIDDLETOWN, Ohio (January 27, 2017) – Football fans across the country will celebrate one of America’s most watched national sporting events, Super Bowl LI, on Sunday, Feb. 5. For many, the celebration will include drinking alcohol.

That’s why the Warren County Safe Communities Coalition is teaming up with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration for a special “Fans Don’t Let Fans Drive Drunk” reminder to urge all football fans to call the right play on Super Bowl weekend by passing the keys to a sober driver before the drinking begins.

Drunk driving can be deadly. A driver is considered alcohol-impaired with a blood alcohol concentration of .08 or higher, but even a small amount of alcohol can impair judgment and reaction times enough to make driving unsafe. In 2015, an estimated 10,265 people—29 percent of all people killed in motor vehicle crashes in the United States that year—were killed in crashes that involved an impaired driver, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

“Super Bowl Fans Don’t Let Fans Drive Drunk. If you want to be the MVP of Super Bowl LI, volunteer to be a designated driver to help your family and friends get home safely,” said Ohio State Highway Patrol Sgt. Jacques Illanz. “Drunk driving only leads to disaster and tragedy. It is never worth the risk. If you do plan to drink, remember to pass the keys to the sober driver before kickoff.” 

Football fans that have been drinking can secure a safe ride home by designating a sober driver, whether it’s a friend, relative, taxi, rideshare or public transportation, Sgt. Illanz said.

Designated sober drivers for Super Bowl weekend should refrain from drinking alcohol and enjoy the game with food and non-alcoholic drinks instead. They can tweet @NHTSAgov during Super Bowl LI to be featured on NHTSA’s national Wall of Fame.

Warren County Safe Communities Coalition members include Atrium Medical Center, Warren County law enforcement agencies, local government agencies and Ohio State Highway Patrol. The coalition focuses on motor vehicle and traffic safety awareness initiatives throughout the year. Follow Warren County Safe Communities Coalition on facebook.

Atrium Medical Center is a full-service hospital and Level III Trauma Center located conveniently along the Interstate 75 corridor at exit 32, One Medical Center Drive in Middletown, between Cincinnati and Dayton. The hospital is the city of Middletown’s second largest employer of more than 1,500 people in full-time, part-time and on-call positions. Atrium is operated by the Dayton-based nonprofit Premier Health system.

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