Football fans across the country are gearing up to celebrate America’s most-watched sporting event on Sunday, Feb. 2.
For many, the Super Bowl LIV celebration will include drinking alcohol, so the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet’s (KYTC) Office of Highway Safety is teaming with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration for a “Fans Don’t Let Fans Drive Drunk” reminder. This reminder is urging football fans to call the right play by passing the keys to a sober driver.
“We want everyone to have a good time watching and celebrating the Super Bowl,” said KYTC Secretary Jim Gray. “All we ask is that if you plan on drinking alcohol, make the right choice and plan for a designated driver before the party begins.”
Drunk driving can be deadly. With a blood alcohol concentration of .08 or higher, a driver is considered alcohol-impaired, but even a small amount of alcohol can impair judgment and reaction times enough to make driving unsafe.
“Drunken driving crashes are 100 percent preventable,” said Secretary Gray. “With so many sober ride options – public transportation, taxis, ride booking programs – there is no excuse.”
According to KYTC, preliminary numbers indicate 121 people in Kentucky were killed in crashes that involved a drunken driver in 2019.
“These are not just numbers,” said Secretary Gray. “These are people – mothers, daughters, sons, fathers – who never made it home to their loved ones due to someone’s choice to drink and drive. Any number above zero is unacceptable.”
