Oklahoma Highway Safety Office warns: Don’t let drunk driving ruin the big game weekend

A lot of people may have plans for the Super Bowl this weekend.

To prevent drunk driving, the Oklahoma Highway Safety Office wants drivers to make a game plan before going to a watch party.

Sheriff Scott Walton says his deputies are ready to pull over people who drink too much while celebrating this weekend.

"We have great success patrolling these back roads like this and staying focused on that. So, regardless of what roads they get on, they've already made that poor decision if they've had too much to drink," he said.

Walton says the Super Bowl is always a fun time for families and friends to get together, but no matter how much partying you do, his department has zero tolerance for drunk drivers.

"We don't want to be the ones to crash the party, but there are so many options right now, safe options to get people home."

The average Uber fare costs around $24, and the average Lyft fare is $18. Walton says getting arrested is more expensive, and the cost of a life is priceless.

"We've heard it all of our lives. Don't drink and drive. I mean, somebody will certainly circumvent that and go with the mindset that it's always going to be somebody else," he said.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says more than 13,000 people die in drunk driving crashes each year. In recent years, the number of people who have died from drunk drivers has risen from 14 percent to 31 percent.

Walton says he's thankful for the Oklahoma Highway Safety Grant, which helps to cut down on fatal crashes.

"It enhances our ability to put more officers on the road during events like New Year's Eve, holidays, especially the Super Bowl," he said.

Walton says an arrest is not a fun way to end the weekend.

"We're the best-trained and most expensive way to get home eventually," he said.

For people who are hosting parties, experts say they should ask their guests to have a designated driver.