10 Tips for Super Bowl Party Hosts to Protect Alcohol-consuming Guests

Who's hosting a Super Bowl party? Each year, Super Bowl Sunday offers sports fans a chance to practice their hospitality by inviting friends and family members to watch the NFL's big game together. These gatherings inevitably include large spreads of popular snack foods, such as pizza, popcorn and pretzels.

Often, Super Bowl Sunday parties also feature alcoholic beverages in abundance. In 2009, for example, nearly 50 million cases of beer may have been consumed during Super Bowl gatherings (not counting those sold at the actual game).

No matter which professional football teams win and lose the Super Bowl this year, Super Bowl party hosts and celebrants may risk even greater losses, unless they heed certain cautions about consumption and travel.

Driving while intoxicated (DWI) or driving under the influence (DUI) is a serious crime in every state, and such incidents lead to far too many injuries and fatalities each year. These tragic events are preventable, in large part, if folks will simply refuse to drink and drive.

Party hosts can play a significant role in encouraging such choices. In fact, hosts can actually be held liable for serving alcoholic beverages to a driver who ends up in a vehicular accident afterwards.

Here are 10 practical pointers for Super Bowl party hosts to protect guests that consume alcoholic beverages during the biggest football game of the year.

Tactful hospitality may deftly include both courtesy and safety. Super Bowl party hosts may encourage driving safety without singling out individual guests for embarrassment, if possible.

Collect car keys as Super Bowl party guests arrive.

Why not set out a big basket, bucket or bowl and ask everyone who arrives at the football fan party to toss car keys in for safekeeping? An overturned football helmet makes a super key collector.

After the game, the host can return keys to all drivers who seem sober enough to drive home safely.

Identify designated drivers among Super Bowl party guests.

Right from the start, it is a good idea to determine who will be the sober chauffeurs after the football game has ended. This practice protects the party host and guests from potentially embarrassing and uncomfortable situations, in which they might have to evaluate who is and is not capable of safely driving home.

Avoid over-drinking at your own Super Bowl gathering.

Generally, a sober host is a good host, who is best able to look out for the interests of his or her party guests during the football festivities.

Serve plenty of hearty food choices at your Super Bowl party.

Super Bowl Sunday feasts may be tailored to all sorts of cooking styles and tastes. The key is to present a variety of sturdy foods to go with the crunchy snacks. This is particularly important for guests who may consume alcohol, as the food can help to offset ill effects.

Offer Super Bowl party guests a variety of non-alcoholic beverages.

Many football fans prefer to drink soda, juice, water or other unleaded choices during the Super Bowl for a host of reasons. A healthy selection can be a sign of good hospitality, while accommodating guests who may have an aversion to, or an issue with, alcohol. (Of course, many Super Bowl gatherings are alcohol-free.)

Stop serving alcoholic beverages after the third quarter of the Super Bowl game.

Sports arenas habitually issue a last call for alcohol before the final period of play begins. For the Super Bowl football game, this is the fourth quarter. As the third quarter comes to a close, and a new round of super Super Bowl television commercials begins to roll, a safety-minded party host will close the bar, so to speak.

Provide coffee and water during the Super Bowl's final quarter.

Why not celebrate the last quarter of the NFL's big game by pouring a round of coffee (or tea or water) for Super Bowl party guests? A hot beverage will warm folks for their trip home, while also sobering up those who may need an extra jolt.

Even tee totaling, but tired, football fans tend to appreciate this offering

Call a cab, or offer to drive intoxicated guests home from your Super Bowl party.

Of course, any Super Bowl party guest who has had too much to drink should not be allowed to drive away from the gathering. A kind host can tactfully offer to call for a taxi or to drive tipsy guests home personally.

In many communities, safe ride programs may be offered on Super Bowl Sunday, providing free shuttle service for inebriated sports fans. Almost universally, local and state patrols are extra vigilant on Super Bowl Sunday as well, setting up traffic checkpoints and testing drivers who may be veering or piloting their vehicles erratically.

Invite inebriated Super Bowl party guests to sleep over.

As another option, the host of a Super Bowl gathering may set up a few cots, inflate a few air mattresses, fold out a couch or two or even unroll some sleeping bags and invite guests to crash on-site for the night. This hospitable gesture may be particularly welcome , if a blizzard should hit during the football game, making driving extra treacherous.

Remind guests to buckle their seat belts when they head home from your Super Bowl gathering.

Finally, as guests depart after the game is over, Super Bowl party hosts can remind them all to fasten their safety belts, steer clear of other vehicles (whose drivers may have overindulged) and enjoy safe travel home.