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SALT LAKE CITY -- People will soon gather at parties and bars for America's biggest game: the Super Bowl, and alcohol will be served at some of those parties. But Utah law enforcement officers remind us all that drunk driving is not a game, and they came up with a way to drive the message home.
When you rack 'em up and break in a game of pool at select bars, the balls carry a lesson. At Fats Grill and Pool on 2182 Highland Drive in Salt Lake City, people played a game of pool with a twist; DUI-designed pool balls replace standard billiard balls.
Each colored DUI ball shows an image of an innocent driver on the road. The cue ball? A drunk driver. As the cue ball caroms and crashes into the colored balls, the game shows what can happen to innocent people when a driver gets behind the wheel while drunk. If you sink the ".08" ball, it's game over. You'll see the game at several local bars and restaurants, just in time for the Super Bowl.
Beer Sales (courtesy: The Nielsen Co.)
| Events | 2 Week Case Sales(millions of units) |
|---|---|
| 4th of July | 63.5 |
| Memorial Day | 61.0 |
| Labor Day | 60.2 |
| Thanksgiving | 52.8 |
| Christmas | 52.8 |
| Halloween | 50.7 |
| Super Bowl | 49.2 |
Tingey said, "Whether you're taking off between quarters, taking off at halftime, or preparing to go home, please make sure you don't drink and drive."
Super Bowl Sunday ranks right up there with New Year's Eve, St. Patrick's Day and Halloween when it comes to alcohol consumption.
"The game starts fairly early," says Tingey. "So, when the game ends, people tend to hang around the establishment, or the grill, or sports bar, and party it up even more, then go home."
The Utah Highway Safety Office provided extra money for overtime DUI patrols for agencies across the state. Those patrols start Friday tonight and last all weekend.
E-mail: jboal@ksl.com
