AAA and other organizations encourage safe driving ahead of Super Bowl Sunday

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

As the Kansas City Chiefs prepare to take on the San Francisco 49ers, AAA and other Missouri organizations provide suggestions for fans and game watchers who may have alcohol or recreational marijuana in their party plans.

According to the National Traffic Safety Institute, there is a big increase in DUI arrests on Super Bowl Sunday compared to other days of the year.

According to the Missouri Coalition for Roadway Safety, preliminary data shows for 2023, there were about 170 fatalities on roadways in Missouri involving impaired driving. That is one in every five deadly traffic accidents for 2023.

AAA reports that while drunk driving is and remains a concern, driving after consuming marijuana or THC can also cause hazards on the roadway. Those who tested positive for having THC in their system were three to seven times more likely to be responsible for causing the crash.

Driving while impaired can cause problems maintaining attention on the roadways, slower reaction times and decision making and lessen coordination on the roadways.

If you plan to celebrate the game with some alcohol or THC, AAA suggests that hosts have plenty of food and non-alcoholic drinks on hand, make sure those who are drinking have a designated driver, have ride service numbers on hand, and if necessary or possible, let guests stay the night.

In 2021, there were over 13,000 traffic deaths involving drunk driving nationwide.