With the exception of the Fourth of July, there is no more American day than Super Bowl Sunday. Given the prevalence of Chicagoans on campus and the success with which the Bears have met this year, campus is sure to become one gigantic party this coming Sunday, filled with the revelry befitting college students, football and “home” team fans.

Imagine though, getting a call shortly after the Bears trounce the Colts. The voice coldly says your best friend, your brother or sister, your girlfriend, or your parents were in an accident. It apologetically tells you the car was totaled in the middle of an intersection or on the expressway. The occupants are now wrapped in a coffin of metal and irresponsibility. A significant person who used to be in your life just became another nameless tally in the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s statistic of victims of drunk driving.

Suddenly, the euphoria of the victory erupts into the crashing depression of loss and grief.

While there are many laws with which I do not agree (substance regulations) or by which I cannot abide (speed limits), drunk driving legislation is one that needs stricter enforcement. Unlike illegal substances, which only harm the user, and speeding, which is only dangerous when enjoyed by the unqualified, drunk driving kills the innocent indiscriminately. People who drive drunk, caught or not, deserve the most severe penalties permitted under the American justice system.

Based purely on anecdotal evidence (the NHTSA apparently does not tally innocent victims vs. at-fault victims), the majority of those who die in traffic accidents are hit by a transgressing driver and are not actually breaking the law themselves. When applied to drunk driving, this means that those who enjoyed themselves by imbibing suffer no serious consequences of their actions while those acting responsibly lose that with the most value — their life. Really, how does a ticket, some light jail time, or the lifelong guilt of manslaughter compare to being murdered?

Not surprisingly, Super Bowl Sunday consistently ranks among the top days of the year for alcohol-related traffic fatalities. According to Mothers Against Drunk Driving, 2003’s Super Bowl Sunday had 62 alcohol-related traffic fatalities, second only to New Year’s Day. Holiday weekends in general are dangerous-enough times to travel, both because of the high number of intoxicated drivers and because of the increased number of person/vehicle miles. People make these times even more hazardous by drinking and driving.

To leap off the soapbox for a moment, I admit I have friends who been convicted of drunk driving. I have not severed ties to them because of their stupid decisions, but I do condemn their choices and do not lament their punishment. Moreover, I, like most people, have driven home when I probably should not have. I was wrong, as are all people who do so, and would have deserved any given punishment had I been caught.

Disclaimers aside, the fundamental fact remains that a large percentage of people die in drunk-driving accidents. In 1982, there were 43,945 traffic fatalities, of which 26,173 (60%) were alcohol-related. In 2005, those numbers were 43,443 and 16,885 (39%) respectively. Clearly, we as a society continue to act more responsibly, though there are still more than 16,885 ways to improve.

This Sunday, as we gather around our brand new high definition television set (or if you are like me, a 19 inch CRT that simply does the job) to watch the championship of America’s sport, to eat and to drink, and to enjoy our friends’ company, consider the consequences of driving home. If you cannot convince someone to be a designated driver, call a cab (the University’s I-book lists 352-3121 or 355-3553), crash at the party for a couple hours, or burn the alcohol walking home. By far, the worst post-game show is not Peyton Manning hoisting the Lombardi trophy, but the sight of a friend or family member splattered on the street.