Posted: August 24, 2016
Wrapping a very serious message in a comedic package, Academy Award-winning British actress Helen Mirren appeared in a Super Bowl commercial from Anheuser-Busch to rip on drunk drivers.
The ad opened with her describing herself as an “uncensored British lady” before throwing out insults at drunk drivers to whom she refers as “short-sighted, utterly useless, oxygen wasting human form of pollution”.
This was the first anti-drinking and driving ad Anheuser-Busch had released in a decade.
In addition to the airplay it received during the game, the anti-drunk driving ad was viewed online more than 4 million times and was listed on Business Insider’s ranking of top five Super Bowl commercials.
While the delivery may have seemed a little harsh to some viewers, the message is important.
Super Bowl weekend sees and increase in drunk driving
In our culture, football and beer complete each other so Super Bowl Sunday is notoriously a time to drink. Studies of crash data back this up, showing that drunk driving skyrockets from 5 p.m. on Super Bowl Sunday through 4 a.m. Monday morning. National statistics reveal an increase of about 25% in traffic fatalities from drunk driving – from about 32% at most other times of the year to over 40% on game day.
The federal statistics are just an average. The drunk driving fatalities in some areas are tremendously higher. For example, according to a study by the State of California and the Auto Club of Southern California, booze-related crashes during and immediately after the Super Bowl are 57% higher in Los Angeles and they more than double in San Diego.
Liability in DUI crashes
Whether they occur during the Super Bowl or at any other time, victims of drunk drivers may pursue compensation from those at fault. A settlement or award may reimburse medical bills and lost wages, provide funds needed for future treatments, provide amounts for pain and suffering and loss of companionship, and when necessary, cover funeral and other wrongful death expenses.
Before a plaintiff can prove that a driver is liable for his injuries, he must prove certain facts:
- That the defendant breached a duty to others on the road to drive safely;
- That the injuries and other damages are recognized under the law as deserving compensation; and
- That the breach of duty was a proximate cause of the damages.
Experienced car accident lawyers specialize in conveying each of these elements so that the jury can understand them. This often requires working with expert witnesses to explain the causes and effects of the crash.
If you or a loved one have suffered injury in an auto accident as a result of the drunk or drug-impaired driving of another, you may be entitled to compensation for related medical expenses, lost wages, emotional trauma and other non-economic losses.
Eisbrouch Marsh offers expert legal counsel for anyone who has been harmed in a motor vehicle accident in New Jersey or New York. Call 201-342-5545 to schedule a free case review with a New Jersey personal injury attorney to discuss your options.
Resources
- Fox 40 News, Helen Mirren Rips Drunk Drivers in Budweiser Super Bowl Ad, http://fox40.com/2016/02/03/helen-mirren-rips-drunk-drivers-in-budweiser-super-bowl-ad/
- National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Consumer Advisory: NHTSA Advises Against Drinking and Driving on Super Bowl Sunday, http://www.nhtsa.gov/About+NHTSA/Press+Releases/Consumer+Advisory:+NHTSA
- Los Angeles Times, Sunday is the Super Bowl of drunk driving, crash data show, http://www.latimes.com/business/autos/la-fi-hy-super-bowl-drunk-driving-20150127-story.html
