FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, February 1, 2019
THSO Contact: Arriale Tabson
Mobile: 615-767-3242
Nissan Stadium Contact: Lynne McCracken
Mobile: 615-972-8800
Tennessee Highway Safety Office Reminds Fans to Drive Sober During Super Bowl Weekend
75 Drunk-Driving Crashes Occurred Super Bowl Weekend Last Year
TENNESSEE – Today, February 1, the Tennessee Highway Safety Office (THSO) was joined by the Tennessee Titans, the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security (TDOSHS), the Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP), the Tennessee Sheriffs’ Association, the Tennessee Association of Chiefs of Police, and other traffic safety partners for a press event at Nissan Stadium to help prevent drunk-driving crashes during Super Bowl weekend. Click here for photos: https://www.flickr.com/photos/safetytn/sets/72157676125910717
“Super Bowl weekend is an exciting time of year,” said THSO Director Vic Donoho. “However, it becomes dangerous when people choose to drink and drive. The THSO is partnering with state and local agencies to keep our roadways safe. We ask everyone to be responsible and always find a sober ride home.”
The press event also featured guest speaker Jacquelyn Marushka, Nashville-based CEO of Marushka Media and advocate for drunk-driving prevention.
“This is personal to me,” said Marushka. “I lost two beloved family members to people who chose to drive drunk. No one should ever have to experience this kind of loss.”
During the event, Marushka shared her personal story of a seven-time DUI offender who crashed and killed her grandfather in New Mexico in 1996. She also shared the story of a six-time DUI offender who crashed and killed her aunt four years later, one mile from the crash site of her grandfather.
“Last year during Super Bowl weekend there were 1,402 crashes and eight people killed on Tennessee roadways,” said THP Colonel Dereck R. Stewart. “75 of those crashes involved drunk driving, and three of the eight people killed were not wearing seat belts. We cannot stress enough the importance of designating a sober driver and always wearing your seat belt. We encourage everyone to enjoy the game and get home safely.”
Whether you’re throwing a Super Bowl party or just attending one, now is the time to strategize the most important part of your game plan: a shutdown defense that prevents drunk driving.
“As Assistant District Attorney, Sheriff and now Commissioner, I know the consequences of drinking and driving are serious and real,” said TDOSHS Commissioner Jeff Long. “But avoiding trouble is simple. If you drink, don’t drive. We need the help of all Tennesseans to make sure that safe choices are made on our roadways if you plan to drink on Super Bowl Sunday. Make the right play call and plan to have a designated driver.”
Follow these simple tips for a safe and happy evening.
- Remember that it is never okay to drink and drive. Even if you’ve had only one alcoholic beverage, designate a sober driver or plan to use public transportation or a ride sharing service to get home safely.
- Download the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s SaferRide mobile app, available on Google Play for Android devices: (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.nhtsa.SaferRide&hl=en), and Apple’s iTunes Store for iOS devices: (https://apps.apple.com/us/app/saferride/id950774008). SaferRide allows users to call a taxi or a predetermined friend, and identifies the user’s location so he or she can be picked up.
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Have a friend who is about to drink and drive? Take the keys away and make arrangements to get your friend home safely.
For more information, please contact Arriale Tabson at 615-767-3242 or arriale.tabson@tn.gov.
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The Tennessee Highway Safety Office (THSO) is a division of the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security advocating for traffic safety. The THSO works in tandem with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to implement statewide programs addressing occupant protection, impaired driving, speed enforcement, pedestrian and bicycle safety, and crash data collection and analysis. Programs administered by the THSO are 100 percent federally funded. The THSO’s mission is to effectively develop, implement, and evaluate these programs. To learn more, please visit www.tntrafficsafety.org.