Each year on Super Bowl Sunday, football fever grips the nation and millions of fans get together at parties to root their team to victory. Food and drink are in abundance and celebrating responsibly should be the number one priority.

Last year Channel 21 News from Harrisburg reported that during the 2009 Super Bowl there were 80 DUIs and two fatalities in Pennsylvania that were caused by drunk drivers. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 48 percent of all U.S. traffic fatalities on Super Bowl Sunday are alcohol-related.

It’s important to have a game plan if you are hosting a party this year. Look up the number for the local taxi service and have it by the phone for quick reference as guests are preparing to leave. Serve food that is high in protein like meats and cheeses. They stay in the stomach longer and help to slow the body’s alcohol absorption rate.

Use a non-carbonated base in alcoholic punches as the body absorbs alcohol faster when mixed with carbonated drinks such as soda. Make sure to have non-alcoholic drinks available so your guests have a choice. It’s always a good idea to designate a bartender instead of letting your guests mix their own drinks. This way the alcohol content in the mixed drinks is consistent throughout the evening. Impaired drinkers tend to increase the alcohol ratio in their drinks as the night goes on. Close the bar at the start of the fourth quarter and once the game is over make sure drivers are capable of getting behind the wheel. If they’re not, use the taxi cab phone number or encourage them to sleep over.

During the past several months Four Loko has made news time and time again. Four Loko is an energy drink with a high alcohol content and boasts of a 'kick' of caffeine as well. The drink was created in 2006 by three alumni from Ohio State University. Like most energy drinks, it contains caffeine and taurine but also adds the kicker of alcohol content that is three times that of a regular beer. Normally the consumption of alcohol makes you sleepy, which is the body’s way of helping to prevent alcohol poisoning. The reason Four Loko is so dangerous is because the high caffeine content in the drink keeps the body from utilizing this protective mechanism. Drinkers continue to consume the drink and before they know it, their blood alcohol content has gone through the roof.

Many people who have consumed this drink experienced black out periods. Keeping in mind that it contains three times the alcohol content of one beer, people who are getting behind the wheel should definitely avoid Four Loko altogether. Blacking out while driving can be devastating not only to the driver but to everyone else on the road.

Be safe, be careful and be responsible. Enjoy the Super Bowl in a way that celebrates camaraderie, friendship and team spirit.