FRESNO COUNTY, Calif. (KFSN) — Every year, Super Bowl Sunday has been one of the deadliest days of the year on the roads, according to AAA. Officials say it’s all because of impaired drivers.
“There’s certainly a big problem with this event. Obviously, a lot of folks, they want to go out, they want to celebrate. But fans don’t let fans drive drunk,” said AAA Spokesperson Doug Johnson.
The agency says drunk driving increases every holiday, every year — and Superbowl Sunday is no exception.
Between 2020 and 2024, they say 19 Californians lost their lives in DUI crashes on game day.
Law enforcement is fighting this trend — putting more officers on the roads.
“It’s incredibly important to us. We want to stop a crash before it can happen — and stop people from getting hurt,” said Clovis Police Officer Joel Kellom.
The Clovis Police Department is one of many agencies increasing its patrols this weekend. They see similar DUI numbers to Fresno.
The Fresno Police Department has seen hundreds of impaired driving crashes in recent years — and its officers have made thousands of arrests.
The local California Highway Patrol covers both areas… and says Super Bowl Sunday is always one of its busiest days.
“It’s a non-stop thing here… it’s just Superbowl Sunday, it’s a big event,” said CHP Officer Juan Gauna.
Gauna is no stranger to dealing with DUIs. In 2025 alone, he single-handedly made 101 arrests. He says every time; it’s never been worth it — and that it’s easy to avoid being another statistic.
“Just get a rideshare. That’s the main thing. I mean, if you want to go out to drink, it’s okay, just be responsible. Don’t go out in your vehicle and then just take off from there. Call a family member, a friend,” he said.
Officials also want to remind you that a rideshare is much cheaper than getting caught driving impaired — something that could cost you tens of thousands of dollars.
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