Alabama football season is a time of celebration, community, and tailgating. Whether you’re cheering for the Crimson Tide or your local high school team, game days bring people together.

However, researchers studying college football games across 26 towns found that home game weekends are linked to a 13%  increase in drunk driving arrests, along with significant spikes in public intoxication and liquor violations. That same game‑day energy that fuels fan excitement can also increase risky behavior on nearby roads.

If you were injured in a crash caused by an intoxicated driver during football season, it’s important to know that the driver may not be the only party responsible. Under Alabama’s dram shop laws, alcohol vendors who over-serve visibly intoxicated customers can also be held liable.

Alabama Dram Shop Law Basics

Dram shop laws are named after a historical term for establishments that sold liquor by the “dram.” Today, these laws hold bars, restaurants, and other vendors accountable when they irresponsibly serve alcohol.

In Alabama, the dram shop statute (Alabama Code § 6-5-71) allows injured individuals to pursue legal action against alcohol vendors if:

• The vendor illegally sold or gave alcohol to someone who was visibly intoxicated, underage, or otherwise ineligible to be served.
• The intoxicated person went on to cause injury, death, or property damage as a direct result.

This includes bars, stadium vendors, and even hosts of private parties, depending on the circumstances. The law strictly protects the public from over-service that leads to harm.

Tailgating, Game Days, and Alcohol Liability

Football game weekends are prime time for alcohol-related injuries. Here’s how dram shop liability can play a role in game-day accidents across Alabama:

• Over-Serving at Bars or Stadiums Before the Game: If a bar continues serving alcohol to a fan intoxicated before kickoff, and that person later causes a crash, the bar and the driver may be liable. The same applies to alcohol vendors inside stadiums.
  
• Intoxicated Fans Leaving the Stadium: After a long day of drinking and celebrating, impaired fans often get behind the wheel. If they cause a wreck, investigators will look at where they were served and whether a business ignored signs of intoxication.
  
• Tailgating and Private Parties: In some situations, social hosts may also be held responsible, especially if they served alcohol to underage guests or continued pouring drinks for someone too impaired to drive. While social host liability is more limited than commercial liability in Alabama, it can still be a factor.
  
• College Town Chaos: On game days, bars and restaurants in places like Tuscaloosa or Auburn are often packed. These establishments have a duty to train staff to recognize signs of visible intoxication and stop serving at the appropriate time. Failure to do so can lead to serious legal consequences.

Evidence Needed for a Dram Shop Claim

Unlike a standard car accident case, proving dram shop liability means establishing that an establishment over-served someone already visibly intoxicated. This often requires:

• Receipts or bar tabs showing how many drinks were served.
• Surveillance footage from the bar, restaurant, or stadium.
• Eyewitness testimony from patrons, servers, or others who saw the intoxicated person.
• Police reports noting signs of intoxication at the scene of the crash.
• Expert testimony to reconstruct events or assess intoxication levels.

It is critical to gather this evidence quickly. Surveillance videos may be deleted, and witnesses may forget key details after a few days.

Why Dram Shop Claims Matter

A dram shop claim can open the door to greater justice and financial recovery, especially when the driver’s insurance isn’t enough to cover the full extent of your injuries.

Drunk drivers often have minimal insurance coverage, and serious injuries from a high-speed crash can easily exceed those policy limits. If the driver was over-served by a bar or restaurant, a dram shop claim could unlock an additional source of recovery for:

• Medical bills
• Lost income
• Pain and suffering
• Future treatment or disability costs

In tragic cases involving wrongful death, surviving family members may also pursue dram shop claims for funeral expenses, emotional loss, and more.

Why You Need an Attorney Who Knows Alabama Game Day Cases

Dram shop cases are complex and time-sensitive. They require attorneys who know how to track down evidence fast, interview witnesses, and hold all responsible parties accountable, not just the drunk driver.

At The Vance Law Firm Injury Lawyers, our Alabama drunk driving accident lawyers know what to look for in game-day crashes. We’ve handled claims involving bars, stadium vendors, tailgating parties, and college town accidents. If you were injured by a drunk driver this football season, we can investigate every angle to make sure you get the full compensation you deserve.

Injured During Football Season? Don’t Wait.

Whether you were hit after a tailgate or struck by a drunk fan leaving a game, you may have more legal options than you think. Contact our law firm for a free consultation. We’ll help you understand your rights and fight for the full compensation you deserve.