Point Pleasant Will Have Enhanced Police Presence During Super Bowl Weekend

Enjoy the game, but don't drink and drive.

Super Bowl weekend is fast approaching and Point Pleasant Capt. Robert Lokerson wants drivers to know borough police will teaming up with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration with enhanced patrols.

He encourages fans to pass their keys to a designated driver as part of the "Fans Don’t Let Fans Drive Drunk" campaign during the game weekend.

Drunk driving can be deadly. A driver is considered alcohol-impaired with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 or higher, but even a small amount of alcohol can impair judgment and reaction times enough to make driving unsafe. More than 29 percent of all people killed in motor vehicle crashes last year died in accidents that involved impair drivers, Lokerson said.

“Super Bowl Fans Don’t Let Fans Drive Drunk," he said. "If you want to be the MVP of Super Bowl LI, volunteer to be a designated driver to help your family and friends get home safely. Drunk driving only leads to disaster and tragedy. It is never worth the risk. If you do plan to drink, remember to pass the keys to the sober driver before kickoff.”

Fans who have been drinking can secure a safe ride home by designating a sober driver, using public transportation, or calling a taxi or rideshare program.

The NHTSA’s SaferRide mobile app, available on the app store, can help football fans who have been drinking to find a sober ride home by identifying their location and helping to call a taxi or a friend to pick them up.

Designated sober drivers for Super Bowl weekend should refrain from drinking alcohol and enjoy the game with food and non-alcoholic drinks instead. They can tweet @NHTSAgov during Super Bowl LI to be featured on NHTSA’s national Wall of Fame.

For more Super Bowl weekend safety information, visit www.trafficsafetymarketing.gov/SuperBowl.

Image: Patch file photo.