Are Chicago Drivers at Greater Risk of Car Accidents During Football Season?

October 11, 2015

Football season has arrived, and fans of the Chicago Bears are enjoying games already.  Fans and others alike are, unfortunately, at risk of increased motor vehicle accidents during football season.  Car accidents are likely to occur during this time of the year because many football fans get drunk at games- and some drive home after consuming too much alcohol.

Drivers need to be aware of the added risk of car crashes during football season and should explore all possible options for staying safe and trying to reduce the risk of harm.

Chicago Drivers are at Greater Risk of Car Accidents During Football Season

There is no question the data shows Chicago drivers, passengers, pedestrians, and bicycle riders are all at greater risk of getting hurt or killed in a car accident during football season as a result of impaired drivers.

Troubling statistics show the link between drinking and watching football games. ABC News reports one out of every 12 fans who attend a football game at a stadium is going to end up leaving the stadium with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) exceeding the legal limit.  Fans under age 35 are eight times as likely to be drunk when they leave a football stadium. Tailgating fans are the most dangerous of all, with tailgaters 14 times as likely as other football fans to leave football stadiums impaired.

The connection between drinking and watching football is not limited only to stadiums either. One state’s Department of Transportation reported on increased alcohol use during football season, indicating football game days are among the heaviest days of the year for consumption of alcoholic beverages.

Of fans who drink, 45 percent said they consume three or more alcoholic beverages when they watch football games.  Football game days were also found to be associated with a 13 percent increase in arrests for impaired driving.

Super Bowl Sunday is an especially dangerous day, with Mothers Against Drunk Driving reporting 43 percent of fatal car accidents on Super Bowl Sunday are caused by drivers who are impaired by alcoholic beverages. On other days of the year, only 31 percent of car accidents are caused by drivers who are drunk.

Fans who attend football games should make sure they do not contribute to the problem of DWIs leading to increased car accident risks during football season. Fans should make sure they do not consume alcoholic beverages if they are going to be driving home, and should have a plan to line up a designated driver before they even have one drink.

Other motorists on the roads also need to know they face greater risks when out on football game days, especially if they are driving near a stadium. If you are out and you see someone who appears to be impaired, you should report the license plate number and as much information as you can to the police.

If drivers stop drinking and driving during football games, many lives could be saved each year. Every motorist should do his part during football season.