State Police remind residents to celebrate Super Bowl responsibly

As football fanatics make arrangements to watch the New England Patriots challenge the Atlanta Falcons during Super Bowl LI this Sunday, law enforcement officers are pleading with them to be safe.

OK, this was a publicity stunt from the Los Angeles Zoo for the 2015 Super Bowl, but we just didn’t have any new Super Bowl giraffe pictures for the 2017 big game. As always, Troopers will enforce all motor vehicle laws. We’ll share tips to combat drunk driving and field your questions when you use the hashtag #DontDriveDrunk.

During the 2016 Super Bowl campaign, State Police arrested 92 people for impaired driving and issued more than 4,686 tickets.

Officers on patrol will also be instructed to be on high alert for impaired drivers.

Before drinking, designate a sober driver and leave your auto keys at home. Once downloaded to a smart phone, the SaferRide app provides three simple options to a user: review and call taxi services available in the area, call a contact programmed into the app in advance and view a map of the user’s location. That study looks at specific dates and doesn’t include the Super Bowl, which changes dates each year.

The Newport Beach Police Department urged people to “call the right play” during the Super Bowl on Sunday by “passing” the keys to a sober driver. Even if you don’t plan to drink much or at all, it is better to be safe than sorry. Maybe there’s someone in your group who doesn’t drink or is willing to be the designated driver on Sunday. “Alternative transportation is easily accessible in California, so celebrate responsibly and plan ahead”.

“Be the Super Bowl MVP”, said KOHS Executive Director Dr. Noelle Hunter. The THSO’s Booze It & Lose It campaign is a statewide mobilization to prevent impaired-driving crashes, injuries, and fatalities.

In 2015, five were arrested, and past year, 10 arrests were made. Your wallet takes a hit too; the average DUI costs about $10,000.