Charles County Sheriff Rex W. Coffey said officers will be stepping up DUI patrols on Super Bowl Sunday as part of a statewide effort to reduce impaired driving. The Super Bowl is one of America’s most anticipated sports events and it’s a time when friends and family gather in homes, bars and restaurants to watch and celebrate. The Charles County Sheriff’s Office has joined other state agencies in a push to spread the message about the importance of designating a sober driver, because – Fans Don’t Let Fans Drive Drunk.

According to Maryland crash data, an average of 175 people has lost their lives in each of the past five years to alcohol-related crashes. Nationally, 9,878 people were killed in alcohol-impaired-driving crashes in 2011 (the last year of complete national data) and those crashes were 31 percent more likely to occur on weekends than on weekdays.

“No matter the occasion, there is absolutely no reason to get behind the wheel of a car after drinking,” said Sheriff Coffey. “Every day of the year our officers watch for impaired drivers because driving under the influence is deadly. But there are certain days and events in which you know people will be drinking and on those days, we remind our officers to be careful and we also deploy our officers assigned to Traffic Operations to help patrol. The bottom line is if you plan on drinking, make plans to designate a sober driver,” Sheriff Coffey said.

Note: Maryland’s Toward Zero Deaths campaign focuses on preventing impaired driving, aggressive driving, and distracted driving, while also promoting seat belt use. For more information on the Toward Zero Deaths campaign, please visit www.towardzerodeathsmd.com.

Media Contact
Diane Richardson
301-609-6557
richardsond@ccso.us