Every year, the football season culminates in one of the most-watched events on television – the Super Bowl. For many people in New Jersey, that means breaking out the chips, sandwiches and the beer. Unfortunately, some people choose to then get behind wheel after they have imbibed too much and this can have devastating consequences.
According to Yahoo, every 51 minutes a person died in an alcohol-related accident in 2015. Along with other major holidays and events, drinking increases with the Super Bowl, making it a dangerous day to be on the road. Perhaps not surprisingly, geography also plays a role. Areas that have teams playing in the big game report drunk driving violations two and three times higher than usual.
One study found that people who had previously been convicted of drunk driving were especially likely to be guilty of drunk driving on Super Bowl Sunday. This is despite the fact that doing so had serious consequences for them. Compared to an ordinary Sunday, violations by repeat offenders reportedly increase by 22 percent.
Another study collected data from a study using breathalyzers attached to smartphones found that users on Super Bowl Sunday had an average blood alcohol content of .091, reports Forbes. While this was lower than other holidays such as St. Patrick’s Day and New Year’s Eve, it is still above the legal limit of .08 for operating a vehicle. Considering that drivers whose BAC exceeded .08 were responsible for 21 percent of deadly crashes in 2012, people in Monmouth County who must hit the road Sunday night may want to exercise extreme caution.
