The Super Bowl is all fun and games until someone loses an eye—or suffers some other post-game serious injury. Which is why Frito-Lay is reminding fans this year to not drink and drive.
The chip maker has designed a limited-edition "Party Safe" Tostitos bag with built-in sensor and light-up warning sign.
As detailed by AdWeek, the bag features a microcontroller that detects trace amounts of alcohol on your breath. More of a party gimmick than legitimate BAC estimator, the packet flashes a red steering wheel and the words "Don't drink and drive."
Embedded near-field communication (NFC) technology also lets folks tap the bag with their phone to request a ride, according to the news site.
"Our goal is to remove 25,000 cars from the roads that Sunday evening," Jennifer Saenz, Frito-Lay chief marketing officer, said in a statement. "Whether watching the big game at a friend's house or at a local bar, a safe ride home is just a few, easy taps away."
The PepsiCo subsidiary surprised NFL playoff fans earlier this month with the introduction of its Party Safe bags—meant to remind partygoers to rethink getting behind the wheel after consuming alcohol. Now, fans can continue taking part in the getting-home-safe initiative. And you can rest assured: There are actually Tostitos in the bag.
Missed out on the promotion? Frito-Lay partnered with Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) to give sports fans $10 off their taxi ride during and after the Feb. 5 event. Just look for the barcode on the back of nearly every bag of Tostitos, but act fast: The first-come first-served offer is available only on Super Bowl Sunday to the first 25,000 people in the continental US and Hawaii.
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Forty-five people were killed in drunk driving crashes on Feb. 1, 2015, accounting for nearly half of all traffic fatalities on the day of the Big Game, Frito-Lay reported, citing the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
"Having a good time and being safe go hand in hand," said Delanie Walker, Tennessee Titans tight end and MADD volunteer, whose aunt and uncle were killed by a drunk driver after watching him play in the 2013 Super Bowl. "Drunk driving is 100 percent preventable."
Researchers at the University of California, San Diego recently developed a temporary tattoo that might work better: The patch analyzes sweat and communicates wirelessly with a smartphone or smartwatch to tell the wearer their blood alcohol level. Or we could all install ignition interlock devices in our cars—an almost foolproof way to prevent dangerous driving, according to MADD.