Super Bowl LV Press Release

The National Football League’s Super Bowl LV is on Sunday, February 7, 2021, and it’s one of America’s favorite annual celebrations. Although the way we view sporting events has changed for now, we still want to make sure everyone is safe on Super Bowl Sunday. Whether you are hosting a virtual watch party, attending a socially distanced small gathering, or heading to a restaurant or bar, we reminder football fans that FANS DON’T LET FANS DRIVE DRUNK.
 
Nationally, people are quarantining and practicing social distancing, but we know festivities will still occur, even on a smaller scale.  If your Super Bowl celebration involves alcohol, plan for a sober ride home. If you’re hosting an intimate gathering of immediate family or your ‘pod’ friends, make sure you take care of your designated drivers.
 
Whether you’re attending a socially distanced gathering, hosting one, or going out to the bar, keep safety at the forefront of your night. When it’s time to leave, make sure your designated driver is actually sober. If he or she decided to drink, call a sober ride. Remember that walking impaired can also be dangerous, so designate a sober friend to walk home with you. If you are driving, remember that sober driving isn’t the only law that should be followed: Make sure you — and your driver — wear your seat belts.
 
 If you’re hosting a small gathering for this year’s Super Bowl, prepare plenty of snacks and non-alcoholic beverages for your guests and the designated drivers. You could even get creative and try out some Super Bowl-themed snacks and beverages. Don’t forget to include the hand sanitizer and some disposable masks!
 
Ask those in your “pod” to designate their sober drivers in advance. Remind drinking guests that they have a long evening ahead of them, and encourage them to pace themselves, to eat food, and to drink plenty of water. Another important reminder: Do not serve alcohol to minors. If an underage person drinks and drives, the person who provided the alcohol can be held liable for any damage, injury, or death caused by the underage driver. In fact, you could face jail time if you host a gathering where alcohol is served to people under the age of 21.

Remember: Only one team wins, but if you drive drunk, you may lose money, your reputation, your car, and even your life. Everyone should know by now that it is illegal to drive impaired. Even still, thousands die each year in drunk-driving-related crashes. In 2019, there were 10,142 people killed in drunk-driving crashes. The costs can be financial, too: If you’re caught drinking and driving, you can face jail time, lose your driver’s license and your vehicle, and pay up to $10,000 in attorney’s fees, fines, higher insurance rates, and lost wages.
 
Make the greatest play of the night by designating a sober driver. Fans Don’t Let Fans Drive Drunk.

For More Information:
Lt. Robert J. Ashenfelter, Ohio State Highway Patrol: 419-352-2481
Sandy Wiechman, Safe Communities Coordinator: 419-372-9353 or swiechm@bgsu.edu