Plan ahead for a safe celebration
From AAA
AAA projects 39.3 million Americans will travel more than 50 miles away from home this Memorial Day weekend. Almost 35 million of those travelers will be hitting the road. That is the highest number in 12 years and it presents a distinct danger when combined with holiday related impaired driving. To help reduce those needless tragedies this weekend, AAA and Budweiser urge everyone to plan ahead if they are celebrating with alcohol. This means choosing a designated driver, calling a cab, staying where you are celebrating or finding another safe way home.
For those that did not plan ahead and need the Tow To Go program, it is available Friday, May 26th through 6am Tuesday morning, May 30th. The following guidelines apply:
- Confidential local ride to a safe location within 10 miles
- The AAA tow truck takes the vehicle and the driver home
- Free and available to AAA members and non-members
- Tow To Go is provided in Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, Nebraska, Iowa, North Dakota and Indiana (Fort Wayne and South Bend only)
- Tow To Go may not be available in rural areas or during severe weather conditions
- Visit www.AAA.com/TowtoGo for dates and availability throughout 2017
“If you’re celebrating with alcohol this weekend and not planning ahead, you are risking more lives than just your own,” said Amy Stracke, Managing Director, Traffic Safety Advocacy for AAA – The Auto Club Group and Executive Director of the ACG Traffic Safety Foundation. “Please take time to make sure that you, your loved ones, and everyone else on the road can get home safely.”
“The Tow To Go program is an effective way to promote the use of Designated Drivers and help prevent impaired driving,” said Katja Zastrow, Vice President of Corporate Social Responsibility for Anheuser-Busch. “We are proud to partner with AAA and their roadside assistance drivers to help keep our roads safe.”
Since its inception in 1998, Tow To Go has safely removed more than 24,000 impaired drivers from roads across the Southeast and Midwest. It is designed to be a safety net for motorists who did not plan ahead when drinking away from home on celebratory holidays. It is offered based on the availability of AAA drivers and tow trucks during times of high call volume. The Auto Club Group Traffic Safety Foundation provides Tow To Go to help keep all motorists safe from the dangers of impaired driving.
Anheuser-Busch Wholesalers have been cosponsors of the program since its inception in 1998. Not only has the company provided funding for the service, it has also worked with local bars and restaurants to help educate servers on the importance of not over-serving their customers.