Reid and Arians have Super Bowl game plans, and so should you
Feb. 4, 2021
Your Super Bowl plans may look a little different this year. Perhaps you’re choosing to avoid the sports bar and stay home or go to a friend or family member’s house for snacks, drinks, booing and cheering. But even if you just drive down to the grocery store at halftime for more snacks, you’ll need to have a game plan in place.
If you drink without planning ahead for driving, you could get a DWI or, worse, getting into a crash that causes injury or death to you or someone else. Averages for the 10-year period from 2009 to 2018 show 177 people in Minnesota get DWIs over Super Bowl weekend. There’s no need to repeat those statistics. As head coaches for the Chiefs and the Buccaneers, Andy Reid and Bruce Arians both have game plans for the Super Bowl – and you should too. In particular, there are four things to keep in mind:
- Plan for a safe ride. Designate a sober driver; use a cab, alternative car service or public transportation; or stay at the location of the party.
- Speak up. Offer to be a designated driver or be available to pick up a loved one anytime, anywhere. If you see an impaired person about to get behind the wheel, get them a safe ride home. It the party is at your house, offer them your couch.
- Buckle up. A seat belt is the best defense in any type of crash.
- Report drunk driving. Call 911 if you witness impaired driving behavior. Be prepared to provide location, license plate number and observed dangerous behavior.
And if it’s not enough just to do the right thing for safety’s sake, remember that there are consequences when you drink and drive. A DWI offense can result in loss of license, thousands of dollars in costs, and possible jail time. Repeat DWI offenders, as well as first-time offenders arrested at 0.16 and above alcohol-concentration level, must use ignition interlock in order to regain legal driving privileges or face at least one year without a driver’s license. Offenders with three or more offenses are required to use interlock for three to six years, or they will never regain driving privileges.
Chances are you’re making lots of Super Bowl-related plans anyway: Which friend’s house should you go to? Who will bring the dip? What non-alcoholic beverages should you serve? So while you’re at it, add sober rides to your plans. You’ll have a lot more fun knowing that you and your friends will get home safely after the Big Game.
