California Highway Patrol: Designated drivers are the real Super Bowl MVPS

SANTA MARIA, Calif. - As fans everywhere get ready for the Super Bowl, the California Highway patrol is also gearing up to make sure everyone is safe.

Whether you are attending parties or hanging out in a bar, CHP officers said getting a safe ride home will be your best defense.  

“It’s extremely important that people plan ahead if there’s going to be alcohol involved,” said Kelly Valdez with the Buellton California Highway Patrol.

Valdez said if you're planning to drink alcohol,  use an uber, lyft or line up a designated driver ahead of time.  

“Even more so because one of the teams is from California so there’s going to be a lot of traveling throughout the state on the local roadway so it’s very important to pay attention to the speed limit be courteous,” Valdez said.

Matt Armenta is getting ready to host his super bowl party, and he already has a plan.

“We’ve already arranged designated drivers we have people set aside for that so that we can all have fun and not worry about the transportation afterwards,” Armenta said.

Valdez said driving is a complex task, and any alcohol or drug can slow reaction time.

“Driving under the influence includes all drug categories because there’s impairment in the body and it is very dangerous to drive with any type of impairment,” Valdez said.

The CHP will have a full team of officers out on the roads, looking for dangerous drivers.  

Last year, three people died in alcohol-involved collisions across California on Super Bowl Sunday.