Auto Club Says Collision Risks Increase On Game Day
28 January 1999
The Big Losers On Super Bowl Sunday: Motorists -- Auto Club Says Collision Risks Increase On Game Day
LOS ANGELES--Jan. 27, 1999--Driving on Super Bowl Sunday increases the risk of being injured or killed in a collision involving a drunken driver, according to a study by the Automobile Club of Southern California.
The Auto Club's 1988-1998 statewide analysis of DUI crashes shows that compared to other Sundays during January and February, injuries and deaths from DUI collisions are 27 percent more likely to occur on Super Bowl Sunday. For those living in Los Angeles, Orange and San Diego counties, the DUI collision risk is even greater -- as much as 50 percent higher than other Sundays in January and February.
"The good news is that overall, deaths and injuries from drunken-driving crashes have dramatically decreased over the past decade in California, and that trend also applies to Super Bowl Sunday," said Auto Club researcher Steven Bloch, Ph.D., who analyzed the collision data. "But the American tradition of Super Bowl parties continues to tragically and significantly inflate drunk-driving statistics on game day, posing a sharply increased risk for motorists and passengers."
Between 1988 and 1998, 66 people were killed and 2,359 people were injured statewide in DUI collisions occurring on Super Bowl Sunday, according to California Highway Patrol records. That works out to an average of 220 people killed or injured by drunk driving on each game day. In comparison, during an average Sunday in January or February between 1988 and 1998, 174 people were killed or injured in DUI collisions.
Bloch said he hopes his study will help increase awareness of risks so that DUI crash numbers will shrink this Super Bowl Sunday and in the future.
"Education and increased enforcement have proven to be effective tools in reducing drunk-driving crashes," Bloch said. "We want to create an awareness that New Year's Eve isn't the only time to exercise caution about drunk-driving crash risks. Super Bowl Sunday and other special occasions throughout the year can prove to be just as deadly for DUI collisions."
To help keep drivers and passengers safe on Super Bowl Sunday, the Auto Club recommends these tips:
-- Don't drink and drive. -- Use a designated driver if attending a Super Bowl party. -- Call a friend or family member for a ride if you've been drinking. -- If hosting a Super Bowl party, be responsible. Take car keys from
partygoers as they arrive and don't let them drive drunk. Serve
non-alcoholic drinks and encourage each group to have a
designated driver.
-- If you observe an erratic driver while on the road, try to stay
behind his or her vehicle and out of harm's way. If it's safe to
do so, pull over and call 911 or alert local police, providing a
detailed description of the vehicle and its location.
The Automobile Club of Southern California, the largest affiliate of the AAA, has been serving members since 1900. Today, the Auto Club's members benefit by the organization's emergency road service, insurance products and services, travel agency, financial products, automotive pricing, buying and financing programs, automotive testing and analysis, trip planning services, highway and transportation safety programs and legislative advocacy. Information about these products and services is available on the Auto Club's Web site at www.aaa-calif.com.
PERSONS KILLED AND INJURED IN DUI CRASHES
ON SUPER BOWL SUNDAY, 1988-1998
California Statewide Totals(1)
Average No. No. Killed, Average No. No. Injured, %Increase of
Killed, Super average Sun. Injured, average Sun. deaths &
Bowl in Jan./ Super Bowl in Jan./ injuries on
Sunday Feb.(2) Sunday Feb.(2) Super Bowl
Years
1988-1992
8 8 261 212 22.4%
1993-1998(3)
4 4 176 131 32.7%
Average Total:
1988-1998
6 6 215 168 27.03%
Los Angeles County(1)
Average No. No. Killed, No. Injured, No. Injured, % Increase of
Killed, Super average Sun. Super Bowl average Sun. deaths &
Bowl in Jan./ Sunday in Jan./ injuries on
Sunday Feb.(2) Feb.(2) Super Bowl
Sunday
Years
1988-1992
2 2 89 66 33.7%
1993-1998(3)
1 1 59 45 31.1%
Average Total:
1988-1998
2 2 58 54 32.8%
(1) Averages are rounded off to nearest whole numbers.
(2) Does not include Jan. 1, which occurred on Sundays in 1989 and
1995.
(3) Decreased deaths and injuries since 1993 reflect changes in
DUI laws, enforcement and education.
SOBERING SUPER BOWL STATS
Orange County(1)
Average No. No. Killed, No. Injured, No. Injured, % Increase of
Killed, Super average Sun. Super Bowl average Sun. deaths &
Bowl in Jan./ Sunday in Jan./ injuries on
Sunday Feb.(2) Feb.(2) Super Bowl
Sunday
Years
1988-1992
1 0 21 16 38.2%
1993-1998(2)
0 0 17 10 66.7%
Average Total:
1988-1998
0 0 19 12 50.8%
San Diego County(1)
Average No. No. Killed, No. Injured, No. Injured, % Increase of
Killed, Super average Sun. Super Bowl average Sun. deaths &
Bowl in Jan./ Sunday in Jan./ injuries on
Sunday Feb.(2) Feb.(2) Super Bowl
Sunday
Years
1988-1992
2 1 22 17 34.1%
1993-1998(3)
0 0 15 10 50.9%
Average Total:
1988-1998
1 0 18 13 41.3%
(1) Averages are rounded off to nearest whole numbers.
(2) Does not include Jan. 1, which occurred on Sundays in 1989 and
1995.
(3) Decreased deaths and injuries since 1993 reflect changes in
DUI laws, enforcement and education.
