SOMERVILLE - Super Bowl Sunday and the consumption of alcohol have become a tradition for many.
To ensure everybody celebrates in a responsible matter, Hunterdon and Somerset County highway safety and law enforcement officials are teaming up with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration for a special "Super Bowl Fans Don't Let Fans Drive Drunk" reminder to urge all football fans to not drive under the influence of alcohol, the Somerset County Prosecutor's Office announced in a news release.
Kickoff for Super Bowl LI between the New England Patriots and Atlanta Falcons is set for approximately 6:30 p.m.
The legal limit for drunk driving is a blood alcohol level of .08 or higher, but even a small amount of alcohol can impair judgment and reaction times enough to make driving unsafe, the release stated.
In 2015, 10,265 people killed in motor vehicle crashes in the United States that year were killed in crashes that involved an impaired driver, according to the administration.
"If you plan on consuming alcohol this Super Bowl, remember to pass the keys to a designated driver to help your family and friends get home safely," said Somerset County Prosecutor Michael H. Robertson. "Drunk driving only leads to disaster and tragedy and with multiple taxi services/rideshare programs available at the touch a fingertip via a smart phone, there is no excuse to be driving under the influence."
Throughout Sunday afternoon and evening, law enforcement agencies in Hunterdon and Somerset counties will be conducting supplemental patrols on the lookout for impaired drivers, according to the release. The extra patrols are funded through a grant from the New Jersey Division of Highway Traffic Safety.
Additionally, specially trained officers will be available to assist with drivers that are under the influence of drugs rather than alcohol. It is strongly recommended that fans that are impaired secure a safe ride home by designating a sober driver, using public transportation, or calling a taxi or rideshare program, authorities said.
In addition, the adminsitration's SaferRide mobile app, is another resource to help football fans who have been drinking 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 can tweet @NHTSAgov during Super Bowl LI to be featured on NHTSA's national Wall of Fame, authorities stated.
Law enforcement from the following agencies will be participating in this campaign: Bernards Township; Bound Brook; Branchburg; Bridgewater; Clinton; Flemington; Franklin Township - Somerset; Green Brook; Hillsborough; Manville; Montgomery; North Plainfield; Peapack-Gladstone; Readington Township; Warren Township; Watchung and the Somerset County Sheriff's Office.
Dave Hutchinson may be reached at dhutchinson@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @DHutch_SL. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
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