CLARION CO., Pa. (EYT) – The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation and the Pennsylvania DUI Association remind residents to stay safe this Super Bowl weekend and not drive impaired.

The annual football game, scheduled for Sunday is among the most celebrated sporting events in the country. Going hand-in-hand with many of those celebrations will be the consumption of alcohol.

Partygoers are urged to designate a sober driver before the game begins.

According to preliminary PennDOT data, there were 187 crashes in Pennsylvania in the 12-hour period during the 2016 Super Bowl (6PM, February 7, 2016, to 6AM, February 8, 2016). Of those 26 involved an alcohol-impaired driver.

Whether playing host to a party, or attending a gathering at a business, social club, or private residence, PennDOT urges the public to take steps to help keep impaired drivers off the roads.

Some safety tips include:

– Make sure all guests have designated a sober driver before the drinking starts, or help them find alternative transportation through a taxi or a shared ride program;

– Have plenty of food and non-alcoholic beverages available;

– Stop serving alcohol at the end of the third quarter, and switch to coffee and dessert;

– Never leave a friend alone if they have had too much to drink and might try to drive;

– Look up the number of local cab companies in advance and keep them handy;

– Take the keys from anyone who has had too much to drink.

Along with finding a designated driver beforehand, partygoers should avoid drinking too much alcohol too fast, and make sure to eat food, take breaks and have non-alcohol beverages, too.

The public can also download the free SaferRide App for Andriod and Apple phones before the game starts. It can help the user find a taxi service, call a friend or family member for assistance, and view of map of their current location.

Remember a seat beat is the best defense against impaired drivers, so always buckle up.

For more information on impaired driving, visit www.penndot.gov/safety and click on Traffic Safety & Driver Topics.