Full Notification

In cooperation with the California Office of Traffic Safety, Montclair PD want to remind everyone to designate a sober driver this Super Bowl weekend.

If you plan to drink:
Don’t drive. Before you ever leave the house, make a plan for having a fun, safe night out. Follow these safety tips, and you’ll be on your way to your own Super Bowl win.
• You know the rules—it’s illegal to drive drunk. Before you head out for the Super Bowl party, make a game plan that includes a sober driver—someone who will not drink at all, and will safely deliver you to your final destination.
• Download and use NHTSA’s SaferRide mobile app. The app helps people connect with a safe ride home by calling a taxi or a friend and by identifying the app user’s location so they can be picked up. The app is available for Android devices on Google Play, and Apple devices on the iTunes store.
• Make sure your designated driver is actually sober. If he or she decided to drink unexpectedly, don’t worry about insulting them. Call a cab, use the SaferRide app, or call someone else who you know hasn’t been drinking.
• Tweet your designated driver’s name to @NHTSAgov to add their name on the Wall of Fame.
• Don’t let friends (and fans) drive drunk. Help arrange a safe way for them to get home, too.
• When you ride home with your sober driver, make sure you—and your driver—wear a seat belt. It’s your best defense in a crash.
• Remember, walking impaired can also be dangerous. Designate a sober friend to walk home with you.
• If you find yourself unable to get home safely, ask the host if you can stay for the night.
• Use your community’s sober ride program [Insert your local sober ride program specifics here].

If you plan to drive:
It’s simple: Don’t drink. Be designated sober driver, help save lives. Remember these tips on game night:
• Take your role as designated driver seriously. While at the party, enjoy food and non-alcoholic drinks. Refrain from any alcoholic beverages. People are relying on you.
• Brag about your MVP status on social media using the hashtag #designateddriver. Your positive influence could help keep other sober drivers on the right track.
• Tweet your name to @NHTSAgov. You’ll be added to the designated driver Wall of Fame.
• Always buckle your seat belt and require your passengers to do the same. Don’t start the car until all passengers’ seat belts are buckled.
• Remember: Fans Don’t Let Fans Drive Drunk. If someone you know has been drinking and tries to drive, take their keys and help them get home safely. Even if they make a fuss in the moment, they’ll thank you later.

If you’re hosting the Super Bowl party:
Hey there, Team Captain! Want to win the night? Designate a responsible sober driver to help your guests get home safely.
• Ask your guests to designate their sober drivers in advance, or help them coordinate with other partygoers’ designated drivers.
• If you don’t drink, offer to drive guests home.
• Encourage your drinking guests to pace themselves, eat food, and drink plenty of water.
• Serve a selection of non-alcoholic drinks.
• Make the designated driver feel like a real MVP—tweet the driver’s name to @NHTSAgov, and they’ll make the designated driver Wall of Fame. Don’t forget to use the hashtag #designateddriver.
• Do not serve alcohol to minors. If an underage person drinks and drives, the person who served 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 party where alcohol is served to people under the age of 21.

Know the risks:
Impaired driving is a serious problem with serious consequences. Don’t ruin your night by becoming another statistic.
• In 2015, there were 10,265 people killed in alcohol-impaired-driving crashes, accounting for 29 percent of all crash fatalities.
• In 2015 approximately 1 alcohol-impaired-driving fatality occurred every 51 minutes.
• The consequences of drunk driving are not only often fatal—they’re expensive. Drunk drivers face jail time, the loss of their driver licenses, higher insurance rates, and many other unanticipated expenses, including attorney fees, court costs, car towing and repairs, and lost wages due to time off from work. In fact, the average DUI court case costs approximately $10,000.
• Know your state’s laws; refusing to take a breath test in many jurisdictions could result in arrest, loss of your driver’s license, and impoundment of your vehicle. Not to mention the embarrassment in explaining your situation to family, friends, and employers.

For Super Bowl LI, be a team player and remember: Fans Don’t Let Fans Drive Drunk. For more information, visit www.TrafficSafetyMarketing.gov.