Not all the action during this year’s Super Bowl between the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers will be on the field. Many adults will attend Super Bowl parties.

“That’s also a team sport — watching the game, but also making sure your friends, your family, they get home safely at the end of the night,” said Eli Cory, deputy chief with the Fairfax County Police Department.

Cory said partygoers should develop their game strategies now.

“The best thing anyone can do is have a plan to get home safely, before you go to the party,” he said. “Designating someone who’s not gonna drink, or arranging for a ride-share app to come pick you up.”

On a football field, a penalty flag can mean the difference between a win and a loss.

“Drinking and driving holds a pretty stiff penalty,” Cory said. “You can lose your license, which has rippling effects with getting to work and other places you need and want to go.”

Cory said police will be particularly vigilant in the coming days.

“This weekend, and especially on Super Bowl Sunday, we’re going to have our patrol officers looking out for DWI.”

Planning ahead to reduce the risk of physical and financial injury is a far better choice than drinking and driving: “You don’t want to go down that road,” Cory said.