It might be safe to say that Super Bowl Sunday is America’s unofficial holiday. The Seahawks and the Patriots will be battling it out for the title of Super Bowl XLIX champion. However, outside of the living rooms, man-caves, and bars, law enforcement will be doing its own battle and the rival is drunk drivers… with good reason.
According to California safety officials and the Auto Club of Southern California, your chances of being involved in an alcohol-related collision can double on Super Bowl Sunday. In fact, a review of data in California revealed a 77 percent increase in alcohol-related collision causing injury or death on this unofficial holiday.
The analysis of the data reviewed alcohol-related injury and fatal collisions that occurred from 5pm on Super Bowl Sunday through 4am the following day from 2009 to 2013. The data was compared against other Sundays in January and February for the same timeframes.
California saw 294 alcohol-related injury and fatal collisions during the Super Bowl Sunday timeframe from 2009 to 2013. However, other Sundays in January and February only saw 166 alcohol-related injury and fatal collisions during the same time for the same years.
Los Angeles County saw 77 alcohol-related injury and fatal collisions during Super Bowl Sundays in those years. Other Sundays in January and February during those years only saw 49.
Although Super Bowl may not be an official holiday, my advice remains the same:
Plan to take a cab, Uber, Lyft, but or other method of public transportation. Get yourself a designated driver and make sure that they, in fact, remain sober.
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