Designated Drivers Should Always Start

KANSAS CITY, MO--(Marketwire - Jan 30, 2012) - The Super Bowl is America's most popular national sporting event. All across the country, millions of people gather to socialize and watch the big game. The U.S. Department of Transportation and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Region 7 Office, with support from the National Football League (NFL) and Techniques for Effective Alcohol Management (TEAM) Coalition, have joined forces with local highway safety and law enforcement officials to spread an important safety message to the public about designating a sober driver on Super Bowl Sunday -- Fans Don't Let Fans Drive Drunk.

"This message is for everyone who will be drinking during the big game. Make the right play and pass your keys to a designated driver so they can get you home safely," said Romell Cooks, Regional Administrator, NHTSA Region 7. "On Super Bowl Sunday, make it a team effort to keep yourselves and your loved ones safe. If you plan on driving, do not drink alcohol."

Tips for hosting a Super Bowl party:

• Make sure all of your guests designate their sober drivers before kick-off or help arrange ride-sharing with sober drivers.
• Find unique ways to recognize the designated drivers at your party
  • Give them a great spot to watch the game.
  • Make sure their glass is always filled with the non-alcoholic beverage of their choice.
  • Let them be first in line at the buffet table.
  • Make sure their cars are easy to access when it is time to start driving people home.

• Serve plenty of food.
• Offer a variety of non-alcoholic choices like soft drinks, juice, and water.
• Serve one drink at a time and serve measured drinks.
• Only serve alcohol to guests over 21 years of age.
• Determine ahead of time when you'll stop serving alcohol, such as one hour before the party ends or at the end of the third quarter (just like NFL stadiums) and begin serving coffee and dessert.
• Program the numbers of local cab companies into your phone so they are just one touch away.
• Be prepared for guests to spend the night if a safe way home is not available.
• Remember, you can be held liable and prosecuted if someone you served ends up in a drunk-driving crash.

If you are attending a Super Bowl party or watching at a sports bar or restaurant, please follow these guidelines to make sure you enjoy Super Bowl XLVI responsibly:

• Designate your sober driver before the party begins.
• If you don't have a designated driver, ask a sober friend for a ride home; call a cab, friend, or family member to come and get you; or just stay where you are and sleep it off until you are sober.
• Always buckle up -- it's the best defense against drunk drivers.

For more information, please visit NHTSA's Super Bowl XLVI Page (http://ics.trafficsafetymarketing.gov/SuperBowl)