Indiana is the home of this year’s big game — Super Bowl XLVI. Football fans from across the country will be flocking. Unfortunately, this is likely to mean increased risks for drunk driving car accidents in Indianapolis. To help to combat these dangers, the Indiana Governor’s Council on Dangerous Driving will be funding even more drunk driving enforcement efforts on Super Bowl Sunday.Officers from around the state will be on the hunt for drunk drivers before, during and after the big game, which starts at 6:30 p.m. This year’s face off will be between the New York Giants and the New England Patriots. Some areas, like Porter County, are even offering rewards to anyone who reports a drunk driver that result in an arrest.
Our Indianapolis drunk driving car accident lawyers understand that almost 350 million people are expected to gather in front of a TV to watch this Sunday’s showdown between the Giants and the Patriots. While the game starts at 6:30 p.m., you’re urged to have your night planned out before then. Super Bowl Sunday is one of the deadliest days on roadways across the U.S. It’s estimated that more than half of all fatal car accidents that happen on this football Sunday are alcohol-related. The big game Sunday was recently ranked in second place as the deadliest day of the year, behind New Year’s Day.
Our personal injury lawyers and GEICO are here to remind you to plan your plays wisely to avoid a DUI arrest or a potentially fatal accident. The Insurance Information Institute (I.I.I.) reports that in 2010, nearly one out of every three fatal car accidents involved a drunk driver. The same statistics report that roughly 48 percent of all fatal accidents that occur on Super Bowl Sunday are alcohol-related.
Tips to Avoid Drunk Driving, from GEICO:
-Be sure you’ve got a designated driver on your team. Make sure they know who they are before the party begins and that they’ve agreed to drunk ZERO alcoholic-beverages.
-Eat plenty of food. Food will help you from over-drinking.
-Bring phone numbers to taxi companies just in case. You never know if you, a friend or another fan may need the assistance.
-Remember that you can be held liable if someone at your Super Bowl party is served too much alcohol and ends up getting into an accident on their way home.
-Watch how much you drink. You want to pace yourself.
-If you’re designated driver bails, call a sober friend or family member, get a cab, stay in a hotel or crash at a friend’s house. Whatever you do, don’t drive if you’ve been drinking.
-Buckle up! Drinking or not, your best defense is a seat belt when you’re in a traffic accident.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that midnight to 3:00 a.m. is the deadliest time to be on our roadways. Once the game is over, you’re urged to head home swiftly. The more time you spend on our roadways, the greater your chances are for getting into an accident.
Remember, if you think you’ve spotted a drunk driver on our roadways on Super Bowl Sunday or on any day of the yeas, contact local authorities. Your report could help to save a life.
If you, someone you love or someone in your family has been injured or killed in an alcohol-related car accident in Indiana, call Burton Padove for a free consultation to learn about how to ensure receipt for financial compensation for injuries you or your family members sustain at 219-836-2200.
More Blog Entries:
Driver with 100+ Violations Still Causing Car Accidents in Indiana, Indiana Injury And Family Lawyer Blog, January 31, 2012