WICHITA – Beer and other alcoholic beverages will be on the menu for many watching the Chiefs versus the Forty-Niners Sunday. But driving after drinking alcohol and/or doing drugs at a watch party can be deadly.
AAA Kansas is urging all football fans to call the right play this weekend by passing the keys to a sober driver before the big game – and drinking -- begins.
The Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) tracks crash statistics on Super Bowl weekend. From 2013 to 2017, during the 78-hour reporting period surrounding the big game, there were an average of 31 alcohol-related crashes, resulting in an average of 1.2 fatalities,11 injuries and 18 instances of property damage only each year. According to KDOT statistics from 2017, the most recent official data available, 90 people were killed on Kansas roads in alcohol-related crashes for the entire year, accounting for 19.5% of all crash fatalities.
“Drinking and driving is not a game – it’s a deadly combination and a crime – both of which are 100 percent preventable,” said Shawn Steward, AAA Kansas spokesman. “Make your winning drive a sober one and designate a driver before you indulge in game day spirits. Don’t fumble when it comes to safety.”
“You can be your party’s MVP by volunteering to help your family and friends get home safely,” Steward added. “Drunk and drugged driving only leads to disaster and tragedy, and is never worth the risk. If you do plan to drink or use drugs, remember to pass the keys to the sober driver before kickoff.”
AAA Kansas urges party hosts to celebrate safely with these tips:
Ask guests to pre-plan for a designated driver who will enjoy delicious mocktails you provide and drive the group home. Visit AAA.com/mocktail for festive, alcohol-free drink options.
Collect all drivers' keys in a bowl when guests arrive and monitor the sobriety of guests as they leave.
Mix drinks yourself; avoid open bars. Limit mixing drinks with carbonated beverages; they increase alcohol absorption.
Close your bar 90 minutes before your party is over. Don't offer, "one for the road."
Only TIME can make guests sober- not coffee or cold showers. It takes about 1 hour to burn off an average drink, 5 ounces of wine, 12 ounces of beer or 1 ½ ounces of liquor. They all contain about the same amount of alcohol.
Designate someone who's not drinking to assess guests when they are ready to leave and make sure they are not intoxicated. The 'roadwise' host is in charge of the bowl of keys and hands them out only to those who aren't showing signs of intoxication.
Guests who are sleepy, giddy, overly talkative or uncoordinated are under the influence. Arrange rides for them or invite them to sleep over. If guests get irate, 'hide' their keys until they find a ride home.
The first ability affected by alcohol is judgment and decision-making. For some people, it only takes one drink for reflexes and judgment needed for driving to be impaired. It's not a weakness. It's a reality.
If a guest would be unsafe behind the wheel, call a ride share service like Lyft or Uber.
AAA works year-round to educate the public on the dangers of impaired driving in an effort to reduce traffic-related crashes and injuries. Visit PreventDUI.AAA.com for impaired driving facts, transportation alternatives and expert advice. AAA encourages visitors to Take the Pledge to drive drug and alcohol-free.