AAA offers free 'Tow to Go' program this Labor Day weekend to keep impaired drivers off the road
TAMPA, Fla. - AAA is reminding drivers not to drink and drive over the long Labor Day weekend by offering free towing home.
The program kicks off Friday, Sept. 2 at 6 p.m. and runs through Tuesday, Sept. 6 at 6 a.m. The company says the service is free for anyone, not just AAA members, but warned it should be used as a last resort. The company is limiting passengers to one per vehicle.
The tow truck driver will take the impaired individual home or to a safe location, but it must be within a 10-mile radius.
The Tow to Go service may not be available in rural areas or during severe weather conditions. The program operates in Florida; Georgia; Iowa; Michigan; North Dakota; Nebraska; Tennessee; Wisconsin; Denver; Colorado; Charlotte, North Carolina; and Fort Wayne/South Bend, Indiana.
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The number to call is 855-2-TOW-2-GO, which is 855-286-9246.
AAA reports they have removed more than 25,000 impaired drivers from the road since 1998. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 28 people in the U.S. are killed in drunk-driving crashes every day, which is one person every 52 minutes.
"If you plan to celebrate the unofficial end of summer this weekend, make sure your plans include a safe ride home," said Mark Jenkins, AAA spokesman. "Driving impaired is never a good idea, especially on a busy holiday weekend. Whatever you do, don’t drive impaired. If you can’t find a safe ride, call Tow to Go and AAA can give you a lift."