The Hawaii Police Department said it will bolster its traffic patrols and step up impaired driving checkpoints during Super Bowl weekend.
Torey Keltner, program manager for the department’s Traffic Services Section, said the increased enforcement is part of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s national campaign, “Fans Don’t Let Fans Drive Drunk.”
“Because we know that there are more functions where people are consuming alcohol during Super Bowl weekend, we’re putting officers out there,” Keltner said.
According to Keltner, between 2015 and 2018, 63 drivers were arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs during Super Bowl weekend, an average of almost 16 DUI arrests per weekend.
Keltner said those arrested on the Big Island during Super Bowl weekend 2018 had a much higher blood-alcohol content than during the other weekends in the month of February.
The average blood-alcohol content of an individual arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol during Super Bowl weekend last year was 0.181 — more than twice the threshold for legal intoxication — while the average blood-alcohol content of an individual arrested for alcohol DUI every other February weekend was 0.128, about 1 1/2 times the legal threshold of 0.08.
“It’s significant. We know that the higher the (blood-alcohol content) level, the less functional (drivers) are,” Keltner said.
For that reason, police urge those who plan to drive on Super Bowl weekend not to drink. Those who plan to drink should not drive.
Police also remind motorists that alcohol isn’t the only substance that impairs one’s ability to drive safely. According to police, marijuana, like many other drugs, affects a driver’s ability to react to their surroundings.
People who have a designated driver are encouraged to check to make sure the driver actually is sober, police said. If not, call a cab, a ride-sharing company such as Uber or Lyft, or call someone else who hasn’t been drinking.
Police recommend that people hosting a Super Bowl party designate a responsible sober driver to help guests get home safely. Hosts who don’t drink also are encouraged to drive guests home.
Police also remind party hosts it’s illegal to serve alcohol to minors.
If an underage person drinks and drives, the host and any individual who provided alcohol could be held liable for any damage, injury or death caused by the underage driver, and could even face jail time.
Email John Burnett at jburnett@hawaiitribune-herald.com.