AAA experts share tailgating safety tips to protect football fans, vehicles and homes.
OKLAHOMA CITY – Sept. 5, 2025 – With the college and professional football season now underway, millions of fans have entered the season for the sport’s most cherished traditions – tailgating and gameday watch parties. While tailgating can be a fun way to celebrate the season and your favorite team, it also comes with risks, such as fire hazards and impaired driving.
AAA is reminding fans to celebrate safely and responsibly to ensure game day gatherings remain memorable for all the right reasons this football season.
“The excitement of the season can sometimes lead to overlooking basic safety precautions,” said Dan Scroggins, AAA’s Vice President, Personal Lines Insurance. “Whether you’re firing up the grill in a stadium parking lot or hosting friends in your backyard, safety should always come first and be a part of your game plan.”
Grilling Outside the Stadium
Tailgating in stadium parking lots brings fans together, but it also brings open flames, hot coals, and flammable materials into close quarters. To keep the party safe, AAA recommends that tailgaters:
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Position your grill away from vehicles, tents, and flammable gear.
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Keep a fire extinguisher within arm’s reach, not just for emergencies, but as a proactive tool to cool coals or stop flare-ups before they spread.
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Never leave your grill unattended, even for a quick run to the cooler.
“A fire extinguisher might not be the most exciting tailgate accessory, but it could be the one that saves your car, your gear, or even lives,” said Scroggins.
Post-Grill Safety Tips for Stadium Tailgating
Parking lot celebrations present unique challenges that require special attention. In 2022, a tailgating fire at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami destroyed 11 vehicles after an unattended grill ignited a blaze beneath a parked car. While rare, incidents like this highlight the importance of proper grill placement and fire prevention.
Safely shutting down and storing your grill at a stadium tailgate is just as important as firing it up. Here are some smart, insurance-conscious tips to prevent fire hazards and protect your vehicle and others:
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Let everything cool completely. Hot grills, coals, and grease trays should be left to cool in a safe, open area—never under or near vehicles.
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Dispose of ashes properly. Use a metal container with a lid to store cooled ashes. Never dump them on the ground or in plastic bags, which can melt or ignite.
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Avoid storing hot equipment in your car. A grill or coal tray that’s still warm can spark a fire inside your vehicle.
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Clean up grease and food debris. Leftover grease can attract pests and pose a fire risk. Wipe down surfaces and pack up trash securely.
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Check for flare-ups before leaving. Do a final walk-around to ensure nothing is smoldering or leaking fuel.
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Secure your grill for transport. If you’re packing it into your vehicle, make sure it’s cool, clean, and tightly fastened to prevent tipping or damage.
“These steps can not only keep you safe, but they can also help you avoid costly damage and insurance claims,” Scroggins added.
At-Home Tailgating Watch Party Safety Tips
Hosting an at-home watch party is a great way to bring the stadium spirit to your backyard but keeping it safe is just as important as keeping it fun.
AAA insurance experts recommend these precautions to protect your guests and property:
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Position grills away from decorations and overhanging branches.
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Keep fire extinguishers nearby and easily accessible.
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Maintain clear walkways to prevent accidents.
Alcohol Awareness
Alcohol is often a staple of stadium and at-home tailgating, but overconsumption can pose serious safety risks. Every day, approximately 34 people in the United States die in drunk-driving crashes — that’s one person every 42 minutes, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). In 2023, 12,429 people died in alcohol-impaired driving traffic deaths. These deaths were all preventable.
“Drinking and driving is not a game – it’s a deadly combination and a crime,” said Shawn Steward, public affairs manager for AAA Oklahoma. “Make your winning drive a sober one and designate a completely sober – not buzzed – driver or make plans for a ride share or cab home before indulging in alcohol. Drunk driving only leads to disaster and tragedy, and it is 100 percent preventable.”
AAA Tips for Safe and Sober Tailgating
Be a responsible tailgater:
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If you plan to drive, don’t drink.
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If you plan to drink, select a designated driver and give them your car keys. If you don’t have a designated driver, ask a sober friend for a ride home; arrange a ride share or cab, or stay where you are and sleep it off until you are sober.
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Buckle up—it’s your best defense against other impaired drivers.
Be a responsible host:
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Collect all drivers’ keys in a bowl when guests arrive.
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Designate someone who’s not drinking to assess guests when they are ready to leave and make sure they are not intoxicated. The ‘road wise’ host oversees the bowl of keys and hands them out only to those who aren’t showing signs of intoxication.
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Make sure water is readily available to all tailgaters.
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Have plenty of food and non-alcoholic beverages.
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Mix drinks yourself; avoid open bars. Limit mixing drinks with carbonated beverages; they increase alcohol absorption.
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Stop serving alcohol at the end of the third quarter of the game. Don’t offer “one for the road”
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Only TIME can make guests sober- not coffee or cold showers. It takes about 1 hour to burn off an average drink, 5 ounces of wine, 12 ounces of beer or 1 ½ ounces of liquor. They all contain about the same amount of alcohol.
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Guests who are sleepy, giddy, overly talkative or uncoordinated could be too impaired to drive. Arrange rides for them or invite them to sleep over. If guests get irate, ‘hide’ their keys until they find a ride home.
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The first ability affected by alcohol is judgment and decision-making. For some people, it only takes one drink for reflexes and judgment needed for driving to be impaired. It’s not a weakness. It’s a reality.
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If a guest would be unsafe behind the wheel, call a cab or ride share service such as Lyft or Uber.
About AAA
AAA provides automotive, travel, and insurance services to more than 65.2 million members nationwide and more than 450,000 members in Oklahoma. AAA advocates for the safety and mobility of its members and has been committed to outstanding road service for more than 100 years. AAA is a non-stock, membership corporation working on behalf of motorists, who can map a route, find local gas prices and electric vehicle charging stations, discover discounts, book a hotel, and track their roadside assistance service with the AAA Mobile app (AAA.com/mobile) for iPhone, iPad and Android. For more information on joining or renewing a Membership, visit www.AAA.com.
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