Extra law enforcement will be patrolling the roads looking for impaired drivers in King, Pierce and Snohomish counties on Super Bowl Sunday. The evening of the Super Bowl game has historically been a dangerous time on Washington roads due to the high number of people driving under the influence (DUI) of alcohol and/or drugs.
“Make the right call and choose a safe ride home this weekend,” said Dr. David Fleming, Director and Health Officer for Public Health – Seattle & King County. “Before your party begins, designate a sober driver, ride the bus or take a cab.”
Half of all traffic deaths in the State of Washington on Super Bowl evening have involved an impaired driver. Since 2009, 191 people have been arrested for DUI on Super Bowl Sunday in King, Pierce, and Snohomish counties.
“We want to get the word out so people can make safe choices this Sunday,” said John Cheesman, Chief of the Fircrest Police Department and Chairman of the Tacoma Pierce County DUI & Traffic Safety Task Force. “Watching the Super Bowl and all the commercials is a lot of fun, but when the game is over, fans who have been drinking need to make sure they don’t get behind the wheel.”
Target Zero Teams work to prevent and arrest impaired drivers. Target Zero Teams include officers and troopers from the following law enforcement agencies: Arlington, Auburn, Bellevue, Brier, Bothell, Edmonds, Everett, Federal Way, Granite Falls, Issaquah, Kent, Kirkland, Lake Stevens, Lakewood, Lynnwood, Marysville, Mill Creek, Mountlake Terrace, Monroe, Mukilteo, Newcastle, Puyallup, Redmond, Renton, Seattle, Snoqualmie, Tacoma, University Place, and the Tulalip Tribal Police Departments, Pierce County Sheriff’s Office, Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office, the Washington State Liquor Control Board and the Washington State Patrol.
Extra patrols are coordinated by Target Zero Managers in King, Pierce and Snohomish counties, with support from the Washington Traffic Safety Commission. This work is part of an on-going partnership with law enforcement, public health and the community to reach the Washington State Target Zero goal of eliminating all fatal and serious injury crashes by 2030.
The Seattle Police Department will field an extra-staffed DUI Squad for the Target Zero DUI emphasis patrols on Super Bowl Sunday. Our goal is to improve traffic safety by detecting and removing impaired drivers from the roadway. We encourage all drivers to exercise prudence in regards to their alcohol consumption.
Nationwide, motor vehicle collisions are the number one cause of death for Americans between the ages of three and 34 — about one-third of these fatalities are caused by drunk drivers. On average, someone is killed in an alcohol-related motor vehicle collision every 51 minutes.
Be mindful of your alcohol consumption and celebrate responsibly. If you are going out and planning to drink, have a designated driver. If you cannot arrange to have a designated driver, call a cab or a friend. The consequences of driving while impaired by alcohol and/or drugs can be life altering.