FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

01-22-13 600AM

On Feb. 3, millions across the world will gather to watch Super Bowl XLVII. Unfortunately, the Super Bowl is one of the deadliest times to be on the road due to driving under the influence (DUI) fatalities – second only to New Year’s Day.

Last year in California, five people were killed on Super Bowl Sunday as a result of alcohol-related collisions, and 438 DUI arrests were made. The California Highway Patrol (CHP) urges the public to celebrate responsibly and always Designate a Sober Driver. Remind all who drink during this Super Bowl to create a game plan that gets them home safely. For those hosting a game-day party, following these simple guidelines will ensure everyone enjoys Super Bowl XLVII responsibly:

Designate party activities ahead of time: As guests RSVP, confirm that at least one person in each group is prepared to be a non-drinking, designated driver.

Plan party activities: Plan activities like party games or door prize drawings. This will engage people, making for less active consumption of alcohol.

Avoid mixers:

Mixers won’t help dilute alcohol. Carbonated mixers like club soda or tonic water cause alcohol to be absorbed into a person’s system more quickly. Fruit juice and other sweet mixers mask the flavor of alcohol and can cause people to drink more.

Offer nonalcoholic beverages:

Give non-alcoholic beverage options to designated drivers and those who prefer not to drink alcohol.

Serve plenty of food Respect 21: Never serve alcohol to someone under the legal drinking age and never ask children to serve alcohol at parties.

Cut if off: Take the cue from NFL stadiums and stop serving alcohol one hour before the party ends (or at the end of the third quarter).

Be Ready to Step In: If some of your guests have been drinking too much, drive them home, arrange for a ride with another guest who is sober, call a taxi or invite them to stay the night.

No matter how you celebrate or whom you cheer for, don’t ruin the day with a DUI or DUI-related collision. On game, or any day, remember: Fans Don’t Let Fans Drive Drunk.

The CHP will be promoting the Designated Driver Program with advertising on Pandora Internet Radio the week leading up to the Super Bowl. The public-service announcements will stream on Pandora in the Los Angeles, San Francisco and Sacramento areas. People not living in those areas may log on to Pandora with a ZIP code from one of those cities. The CHP will also advertise on traditional radio stations KBOS, KHGE, KOND and KHIT in Fresno and the surrounding areas.

To view the current Designated Driver Program video public-service announcements on the CHP website, visit www.chp.ca.gov/community/dui_v.html.

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