In two days, people of Phoenix will awake to the promise of a Super Bowl in their backyards. From the epic food spreads to the time spent with friends, many will partake in game day activities even if they will not be watching the game in person at the University of Phoenix Stadium. While most of these celebrations will be harmless and will involve responsible adults, statistics indicate that some adults will choose to drink and drive, making the roads in Arizona hazardous for all those in the area.
Across the nation, incidents of drinking and driving have been significantly elevated in recent years on Super Bowl Sunday when compared to a normal Sunday in January or February. For instance, California has reported an increase in fatal alcohol-related accidents over the last five years on Super Bowl Sunday. This happened even when California did not host the Super Bowl and its citizens were watching the coverage at their homes or at local bars and restaurants.
Officials in Arizona believe this trend will continue in Glendale and in Phoenix and may be even worse as those attending the Super Bowl may also drink and drive. In addition, authorities are considering the nature of Phoenix-area traffic congestion and standard traffic patterns and believe that a large number of cars on area expressways combined with the potential for drunk driving accidents may prove deadly.
Police in Arizona are urging all those in the state to refrain from drinking and driving this Sunday just like they should every day of the year. Instead, adults who want to consume alcohol are encouraged to designate a driver, take public transportation, or consider using a taxi cab to get around the Valley or to get home from the game.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (“NHTSA”) encourages those who will be hosting a Super Bowl party to be on the alert for the safety of their guests and to discourage drinking and driving whenever possible. NHTSA suggests taking car keys away from any guest who has had too much to drink or offering to let intoxicated guests remain at your home until they can safety leave with the help of a sober driver or by an alternative means of transit.
If you plan to watch or attend the Super Bowl this weekend, please make sure you follow all applicable Arizona laws and refrain from drinking and driving. But the actions you take cannot guarantee your safety, unfortunately, as you are still at risk if other drivers near you choose to operate while intoxicated or while under the influence of drugs.
If you are involved in a drunk driving crash in the greater Phoenix area and you are injured, know that you have legal rights and options that may entitle you to financial compensation for your damages. The personal injury lawyers at Abels & Annes, P.C. are standing by 24/7/365 to take your call toll free at (855) PHX-LAWYER or locally at (602) 819-5191 to take your call and to help you understand your options. We will offer you a free case consultation without obligation when you call us and everything discussed will be kept confidential.
If you have questions, are left wondering about your rights, or if you need help getting relief, call Abels & Annes, P.C. now and let us fight for the compensation you deserve.
Prior Blog Entry:
Pedestrian Safety Tips for Super Bowl XLIX, Phoenix Injury Lawyer Blog, published January 29, 2015.
Resource:
Sunday is the Super Bowl of drunk driving, crash data show, by Jerry Hirsch, LA Times, published January 27, 2015.