ATLANTA, Ga. (March 15, 2018) — With St. Patrick’s Day falling on a Saturday this year, festivals and celebrations are likely to see larger-than-normal crowds, with more vehicles and pedestrians on the roadways.
AAA, in partnership with Budweiser, urges everyone to have a plan for celebrating responsibly and getting home safely from events that involve alcohol. From 2012 to 2016, 269 lives were lost in drunk-driving crashes on St. Patrick’s Day, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). For anyone who needs a safe ride home, the Tow to Go program is available from Friday, March 16 through Sunday, March 18 at 6 a.m.
“Heading out to celebrate without a plan for getting home safely can be a recipe for disaster,” said Garrett Townsend, Georgia Public Affairs Director, AAA – The Auto Club Group. “Too many lives are lost in alcohol-involved crashes, and we want to make sure everyone gets home to their loved ones this weekend.”
The following guidelines apply to the Tow to Go program:
| Tow to Go Service Areas | Phone Number |
|
Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Michigan, North Dakota, Nebraska, Tennessee, Wisconsin and Indiana (Fort Wayne and South Bend only) |
(855) 2-TOW-2-GO or (855) 286-9246 |
- 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 may not be available in rural areas or during severe weather conditions
- Visit AAA.com/TowtoGo for dates and availability throughout 2018
- If you are hosting a party, please do so responsibly. Check out the Great Pretenders Party Guide from the Auto Club Group Traffic Safety Foundation to learn more.
“The Tow to Go program saves lives,” said Amy Stracke, Managing Director of Traffic Safety Advocacy for AAA – The Auto Club Group and Executive Director of the Auto Club Group Traffic Safety Foundation. “This year marks the 20th anniversary of AAA’s partnership with Anheuser-Busch, and together we have built a unique program that provides safe rides home to hundreds of drivers every year.”
Since its inception in 1998, Tow to Go has safely removed more than 25,000 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. The program 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.
“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.”
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.
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