by Tim O’Hare
Follow The Law Offices of Tim O’Hare on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
The Baltimore Ravens will take on the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl XLVII this Sunday, Feb. 3. The Texas Department of Public Safety is reintroducing its drunk driving campaign designed for football season, P.A.S.S. (Person Appointed to Stay Sober), to encourage safety for everyone on the roads this weekend.
“Pass up that drink, or pass the keys along to a sober driver,” said TxDOT spokesperson, Mark Cross.
Two things often accompany football-watching parties: food and alcohol. In 2009, 45 percent of people surveyed about drunk driving said they drove home after drinking at a football-watching party. According to TxDOT, there were 100 alcohol-related wrecks in Texas, resulting in 33 injuries and four deaths.
Super Bowl Sunday is among the top five most consumed alcoholic days, Terri Miller, traffic safety specialist for TxDOT in Bryan says. Texas leads the nation in drunk driving deaths. According to The Century Council, in 2010, there were 1,259 alcohol impaired driving fatalities in Texas. That equates to five drunken driving deaths per 100,000 Texans. While the number of drunk driving deaths have been decreasing in the last decade, 1,259 deaths in one year due to drunk driving is far too many. For that matter, 1 death is far too many.
Before you head off to your Super Bowl party this Sunday, have a plan set in place. If you are going to drink, we urge you to drink responsibly. Once you start drinking, it’s more difficult to devise an effective plan to avoid drunk driving. And if you don’t drink, keep in mind that others will, so know how to protect yourself from being the victim of drunk driving.
P.A.S.S. Plan to avoid alcohol, or pass your keys to a designated driver.Before you get to the party, know exactly how you will get home.
Avoid late night driving. If you can pull yourself away from the TV during the last quarter of the game, you’ll avoid the post-game rush. If you watch the entire game, plan to leave as soon as the game clock runs out
Drive in the right lane. Sticking to the right lane can save your life from drunk drivers, and wrong-way drivers alike. Often times drunk drivers drift out of their lane or into oncoming traffic. The further you are to the right of the road, the better your chances of avoiding being sideswiped or hit head-on by a drunk driver.
If you’re hosting a party, help keep guests safe. Help guests establish a safe ride home, or offer to let them crash on your couch for the night. Don’t let any of your guests get behind the steering wheel after drinking. Be sure to provide plenty of non-alcoholic beverage options for designated drivers and those choosing not to drink.
Super Bowl Sunday should be a day of fun for you, your family and friends. Don’t let drunk driving spoil your fun. A first-time DWI charge could cost you as much as $17,000. Being involved in a drunk driving accident could cost someone’s life. Don’t risk it. Expect law enforcement to be out full force this weekend.
If you have been injured or a loved one has been killed as a result of drunk driving, contact The Law Offices of Tim O’Hare for a free consultation with a Dallas personal injury attorney.
Call The Law Offices of Tim O’Hare for your FREE Case Evaluation
972-960-0000 or Toll-Free 888-960-0020
