Accident Spikes on Super Bowl Weekend

Super Bowl 2025 Inauguration at Caesars Superdome

The Super Bowl is the most-watched regular television broadcast in the United States, attracting an audience of approximately 130 million viewers, with roughly 10% tuning in from international locations.

As the annual championship game for the NFL, the Super Bowl is broadcast in about 40% of American households.

Preparing for the Big Game

The evening of the Super Bowl also sees a notable increase in drunk driving accidents, cardiac arrests, and emergency room visits related to kitchen mishaps. Meanwhile, the following day often brings a rise in football-related injuries among the general public attempting to recreate the excitement of the game.

The popularity of guacamole has soared over the years, but this beloved dip comes with an unexpected risk. Between 1998 and 2017, an estimated 50,413 people ended up in the emergency room due to injuries sustained while making guacamole. From knife mishaps during avocado prep to slips and cuts, what seems like a simple culinary task has proven to be surprisingly hazardous.

The Game of Binge Drinking

Based on data from RetailMeNot, a leading digital savings platform, the average Super Bowl viewer spends approximately $44 on alcohol. With such elevated consumption, it’s no surprise that incidents of drunk driving are 22% higher on Super Bowl Sunday compared to an average Sunday.

Some additional statistics highlight the festive atmosphere that takes over cities—and roads—during Super Bowl Sunday:

  • 112.2 million people plan to host or attend a party.
  • 16.2 million people intend to watch the game at a bar or restaurant.
  • Total spending on food, drinks, apparel, decorations, and other game-day purchases is projected to hit a record $17.3 billion, averaging $86.04 per person.
  • 42% of fatal crashes involve drivers with a blood alcohol content (BAC) exceeding 0.08% by the end of the evening.
  • Crash fatalities increased by 41% following the Super Bowl.
    The most dangerous time to drive is the hour immediately after the game ends.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Super Bowl Sunday is among the riskiest days for drivers nationwide due to impaired driving. Nearly 48% of traffic-related fatalities on this day involve a driver or motorcyclist with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.08% or higher.

In some cities, such as Atlanta, access to alcohol will be further expanded thanks to the Atlanta City Council’s unanimous approval of the “Pour until Four” measure. This policy allows local establishments to extend alcohol-serving hours from 2:30 a.m. to 4:00 a.m.

Pre and Post-Game Crash Risks on Super Bowl Sunday

  • Crash patterns vary throughout the day, with the most significant danger occurring after the game ends.
  • During the Super Bowl telecast, fatal crashes actually decrease by 8%.
  • Postgame period (two hours after the game):
    • 82% increase in fatal crashes from all sources.
    • 153% increase in fatal crashes involving alcohol—nearly 5x higher than non-alcohol-related crashes.
  • Late Night Period (following the Postgame):
    • 61% total increase in fatal crashes compared to pregame levels.

The hours after the Super Bowl are the most dangerous time to be on the road.

Historic Overview

The link between the Super Bowl and risky driving behaviors is far from new. These trends can be traced back to Super Bowl IX in the winter of 1975. A groundbreaking 2003 study by University of Toronto researchers, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, analyzed traffic fatalities over a 27-year period (1975–2001) and uncovered alarming patterns.

Key Findings from the Study:

  • 41% increase in traffic fatalities after the Super Bowl broadcast compared to the Sundays before and after the game.
  • No significant difference in traffic deaths before the game and a slight decrease during the broadcast.
  • Postgame fatalities surpass even New Year’s Eve, a night long associated with dangerous driving in the U.S, in percentage change to regular nights.

Beer Consumption on Super Bowl Sunday: A Staggering International Comparison

Super Bowl Sunday is not just about football — it’s also one of the biggest beer-drinking days in the U.S. On this single day, Americans consume an estimated 325 million gallons of beer, from pregame festivities to the final whistle.

For perspective:

  • During the entire month of June 2014, when Germany — a country renowned for its beer culture — won the World Cup, Germans consumed 213 million gallons of beer. Remember, for beer consumption, they can drink at the age of 16.
  • That equates to 20 pints per person in Germany over 30 days, whereas Americans far surpass that in less than 24 hours on Super Bowl Sunday.

About Sports Bar Culture

Sports bars have become popular social hubs, but they also serve as a setting for alcohol consumption. Many patrons engage in risky drinking habits, with four in five men and one in two women consuming five or more standard drinks in a single day at least monthly. This trend reflects broader acceptance of heavy drinking in such environments, often driven by social norms, stress, or the pursuit of enjoyment. Alarmingly, these behaviors not only normalize excessive alcohol consumption but also increase the likelihood of dangerous actions, such as driving under the influence, which puts both drinkers and the public at risk.

Key Statistics on Risky Drinking at Sports Bars:

  • Frequency of risky drinking:
    • 80% of men and 50% of women report consuming five or more drinks in a day at least monthly.
    • 96% of respondents find it acceptable to drink to the point of becoming tipsy.
  • Perceptions of drinking behavior:
    • 25% of respondents believe most or all patrons drink at risky levels.
    • 50% of respondents feel over half of the drinkers at sports bars fall into this category.
  • Acceptance of drunkenness:
    • 67% of men and 56% of women agree that getting drunk in a sports bar is acceptable.
    • This is significantly higher than Victorian data, where only 31% of men and 25% of women condone occasional drunkenness in any setting.
  • Driving after drinking:
    • Over 50% of respondents have witnessed someone drive home drunk from a sports bar.
    • More than one-third chose not to intervene in such situations.

Super Bowl Accidents in the Pacific Northwest

Fatalities in Washington on Super Bowl Sunday

  • 2014: 7 fatalities
  • 2015: 6 fatalities
  • 2016: 12 fatalities
  • 2020: 16 fatalities
  • 2022: 16 fatalities
  • 2023: 8 fatalities

Between 2014 and 2024, a total of 19 pedestrians lost their lives in Washington on Super Bowl Sunday. This equates to nearly two Washingtonians per year losing their lives while walking the streets on the day of the big game.

Key Insights:

  • 25 to 35-year-old males represent the majority of fatalities on this day.
  • Women account for approximately 30% of these fatalities, highlighting that no group is entirely spared from the risks.
  • In 75% of these incidents, the weather was dry, indicating that adverse weather is not the primary cause of these spikes in fatalities.

DUI Arrests in Oregon During Super Bowl Weekend

From 2007 to 2015, OSP troopers arrested over 300 DUI drivers during Super Bowl weekends. These preventative measures likely helped avoid numerous fatal crashes and even more fatalities.

Most DUI Arrests by Area Command Average:

  1. Portland: 7
  2. Springfield: 7
  3. Albany: 4
  4. Astoria: 3
  5. Salem: 3
  6. Central Point: 3
  7. Grants Pass Work Site: 3

These locations were among the most prone to DUI incidents. 2014 was one of the highest years of the decade for DUI arrests during Super Bowl weekend. This may be a result of the fact that the Seattle Seahawks played in the game that year (defeating the Denver Broncos).

Fanbases, Winning & Losing

Here’s an intriguing fact that might seem merely interesting but could actually help you avoid trouble: The largest spikes in motor vehicle accident rates occur in the home state of the losing Super Bowl team. This means that if you’re in the state whose team finishes second, the roads are likely to be far more dangerous and unpredictable than on a typical Sunday.

Game day emotions during the regular season heavily influence drinking behavior among fans:

  • 34% of fans reported drinking more when their team was losing.
  • 31% of fans drank more when their team was winning.

When it comes to beverage choices:

  • 76% of fans preferred beer, making it the overwhelming favorite.
  • The next most popular drinks were vodka and whiskey, though they lagged far behind beer.

During the regular season, fans admit to consuming alcoholic beverages and marijuana while enjoying the game. The portal Lines.com surveyed over a thousand fans, and their responses revealed some interesting results:

  • People drink an average of 3.7 drinks while watching NFL games.
  • Nearly half of NFL team fans drink during the game.

The 5 Fan Bases That Drink the Most:

  1. Atlanta Falcons: 86%
  2. Jacksonville Jaguars: 86%
  3. Arizona Cardinals: 85%
  4. Buffalo Bills: 83%
  5. Indianapolis Colts: 83%
  6. Los Angeles Chargers: 83%

The 5 Fan Bases That Smoke the Most Marijuana:

  1. Atlanta Falcons: 77%
  2. Baltimore Ravens: 77%
  3. Jacksonville Jaguars: 76%
  4. Arizona Cardinals: 74%
  5. Buffalo Bills: 73%
  6. Indianapolis Colts: 73%

Among the six fan bases with the highest rates of marijuana use, only Arizona has fully legalized its consumption. In contrast, states like Georgia (Falcons), Maryland (Ravens), Florida (Jaguars), New York (Bills), and Indiana (Colts) have made only partial progress toward legalization.

What’s striking is that five out of these six teams overlap across both categories — alcohol and marijuana use — with the Falcons, Jaguars, Cardinals, Bills, and Colts consistently leading in fan intoxication levels compared to other teams.

The Winner Drinks It All?

The same survey revealed some notable insights about drinking habits across different sports. Fans of MMA/UFC, esports, NHL, and NBA drink more than NHL fans, but NFL fans stand out in one unique way: they drink the most when their teams are winning. So, if your city’s team is on a winning streak, it’s worth exercising extra caution when you hit the roads following a game.

With the Super Bowl marking record engagement for casual fans of the NFL, it’s also wise to be aware of the likelihood of increased accidents immediately after the game, and take extra precautions when driving in the hours that follow.