Tips for a DUI Free Super Bowl

Who doesn't love the Super Bowl? Great football, Funny commercials, and best of all, amazing food! The Super Bowl is a great time to get together with friends and family and enjoy the All-American game of football, especially if you are a Falcons Fan… RISE UP! 

One of the things that usually doesn't come to mind when thinking about the Super Bowl is a DUI. In fact, the night of the Super Bowl is one of the biggest drinking days of the year next to New Years, Fourth of July, Memorial Day and Cinco de Mayo. Police buckle down for Super Bowl weekend and place safety checks across the region to arrest those driving under the influence. 

This year, the Super Bowl starts at 6:30 PM EST, which means the bars will be open much later than usual. Those who may usually just pop in a local Restaurant or a Bar on a weekend night may find themselves drinking more than usual with the excitement of the Super Bowl and later operating hours. In fact Mayor of Atlanta, Kasim Reed issued a temporary executive order allowing licensed restaurants and bars to remain open and serve alcohol until 2:30 AM instead of the normally authorized time of 12:30 AM. Longer hours can correlate to drinking more, which is something Falcon Fans should consider and plan for.  You know the APD will be patrolling around the bars looking to arrest people for DUI in Atlanta. 

Did I already say RISE UP? Now, it is perfectly ok to enjoy the game with an alcoholic beverage, but the key is doing it safely and avoiding a DUI. Here are a few tips to keep safe while we enjoy the Falcons defeating the Patriots tomorrow.  

1. Designate a Sober Driver.  Do this before the night begins. Do not leave this decision until the end of the night when everyone in your party might have already consumed alcohol. 
2. Line Up an Uber Driver. If everyone in your party wants to drink, that is ok! Just make sure you have another form of a driver than can take you to and from the restaurant, bar or friends house. 
3. If you are hosting a Super Bowl Party, offer a place to stay for those drinking. Although staying the night at someone's house is not the most convenient, especially when you may not have been planning to spend the night, making a change of plans is ALWAYS better than putting yourself and others in danger and getting pulled over for a DUI. 
4. Do Not Assume You are Under the Legal Limit. Drunk is not the legal limit. In fact, you may feel completely normal at the legal limit of .08. Furthermore, you can still be arrested for a DUI in Georgia if your BAC is less than .08 if the officer thinks you are a less safe driver. A $20 Uber Ride is much cheaper than a DUI. 
5. Offer Non-Alcoholic Drinks for Designated Driver's If You Are Hosting. Make sure to set up your designated drivers for success. Offer Soda and other non-alcoholic beverages. 

Here are a couple of my favorite Non-Alcoholic Drinks for designated drivers and those underage:

“The Dirty Bird”

Ingredients: 

1.    1.75 Liter Bottle of Simply Mixed Berry Juice

2.    2 Liter Bottle of Sprite

3.    6 Oz. of Frozen Mixed Berries 

Mix equal parts of Simply Juice and Sprite in a glass with ice and stir. Garnish with Frozen Berries. 

“Matty Ice” 

Ingredients:

1.    5 Cups of Simply Mixed Berry Juice 

2.    1 Cup of Cranberry Juice 

3.    1 Cup of Pineapple Juice 

4.    Juice from one whole lime 

5.    5 Cups of Ginger Ale

6.    1 Pint of Raspberry Sherbet 

Combine all juices into a punch bowl and slowly add ginger ale. Scoop in raspberry sherbet and pour into individual cups.

Staying Safe: 

There is nothing wrong with enjoying some drinks while watching the Falcons dominate the Patriots tomorrow night. Just remember to do so safely. Police will be patrolling the area and will be parked outside of popular restaurants and bars ready to make DUI arrests. Stay safe this weekend and GO FALCONS!  

Atlanta DUI Attorney Richard Lawson hopes everyone has a good time watching the big game.  I hope these tips for a DUI Free Super Bowl help.