As football fans across the country prepare for Super Bowl LIX, Mothers Against Drunk Driving® (MADD) South Carolina is calling on everyone to make safety a top priority. By planning a safe ride home before kickoff, fans can help save lives and ensure game day is unforgettable for all the right reasons.
Alcohol consumption and impaired driving often increase during major sporting events like the Super Bowl, particularly around pre-game gatherings, halftime, and post-game celebrations. According to the latest data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 45% of all fatal crashes on Super Bowl Sunday in 2022 involved alcohol.
“Super Bowl Sunday is all about teamwork, both on and off the field,” said MADD CEO Stacey D. Stewart. “Planning a safe ride home is the ultimate game-winning play—it protects your community and ensures everyone makes it to the next game day. Whether it’s calling a rideshare, designating a sober driver, or taking public transportation, the best play you can make is one that saves lives.”
“According to NHTSA, in 2022 474 people in South Carolina were senselessly killed by drunk drivers,” said Steven Burritt, Regional Executive Director. “Whether fans are watching the Super Bowl at a bar, at home, or in the stadium, making a plan to avoid driving impaired is the ultimate game-winning play. Hosts can also be MVPs by encouraging guests to plan ahead, serving alcohol-free drink alternatives, and ensuring everyone leaves with a safe ride.”
To spread this message even further, MADD is taking the fight against impaired driving and underage drinking to the playing field with its MADD Sports initiative. This program teams up with athletes, sports teams, and organizations to raise awareness and promote responsible choices. By engaging athletes as role models and organizing impactful events, MADD Sports aims to drive meaningful change, particularly among younger generations, and build a future free of impaired driving and underage drinking.
