Don't Drink and Drive: Call AAA's Tipsy Tow

Avoid a DUI if You Have One Too Many During the Holidays

May 20, 2009
Jan Peterson

Don't risk a DUI after partying! - hamper/morguefile.com

Countless lives have been lost over the years due to partygoers driving while drunk. Holiday weekends are especially perilous, but now there's AAA Tipsy Tow!

Everyone has heard the slogan, “Friends don’t let friends drive drunk”, but sadly many times, they do. Every holiday there are parties galore. It’s important to plan ahead and drink responsibly to avoid an alcohol related driving accident.

Drunk Driving Statistics

The Mother’s Against Drunk Driving (MADD) website provides the following 2007 statistics:

An estimated 12,998 people were killed in alcohol-impaired auto accidents
Someone is killed by a drunk driver every 40 minutes
50% to 75% of drunk drivers with suspended licenses continue to drive
The average 2006 arrest statistics equate to 1 arrest for every 139 licensed drivers
3 in 10 Americans will be involved in an alcohol related accident
A first time offender caught for drunk driving has driven an average of 87 times prior to being arrested.
The US Surgeon General estimates 5,000 people under 21 die from alcohol related driving incidents each year.
A first time DUI conviction can cost a driver over $10,000 in fines, penalties, insurance, etc

Alternatives to Driving While Drunk

Almost everyone is aware of the right things to do when alcohol is involved.

Plan ahead and assign a designated driver.
Hand the keys over to a sober friend.
Don’t let a friend drive drunk.
Call a taxi.
Bottom line, DON’T DRIVE

If drinking gets out of hand during a holiday party without a plan, a new option is the “Tipsy Tow”. By using the Tipsy Tow, someone who has been drinking can get help getting home safely, bringing the car along in tow.

AAA Roadside Assistance Offers Tipsy Tow

AAA Roadside Service offers the Tipsy Tow service free, without membership, on most holidays. The offer varies state to state, but in general, someone who has been drinking contacts AAA and tells the service rep that they need a “tipsy tow”. To check whether the service is available in a particular region on a specific holiday weekend, dial 1-800-AAA HELP (1-800-222-4357).

The AAA article “AAA Arizona Launches “Tipsy Tow” Program for Holiday Weekend" says, "drivers who have had too much to drink can call AAA's 800 number, 1-800-AAA-HELP, and tell the operator "I need a Tipsy Tow" to have themselves and their car towed home for free."

The program is open to everyone. Drivers, Party Hosts, Bartenders and Restaurant Managers can contact AAA to arrange for a free tow to the drinker's home if within ten miles of pickup. This service is limited to two people max per vehicle.

AAA states in their Newsletter article, “Annually, AAA’s Emergency Road Service responds to more than 450,000 calls for help on the streets and highways of the state as well as providing insurance, travel, and financial services to AAA members and motorists.”

Other Tipsy Tow Services

In addition to AAA, other Roadside Assistance Servicers might offer a similar Tipsy Tow service. Automobile Club of Southern California and Betterworldclub offered it for New Year's Eved 2008. Even Bill’s Towing and Recovery Service in Yelm, Washington offered it on New Year Celebration! It never hurts to check it out before the holiday weekend.

Whatever the holiday, everyone should make plans and use their head before they begin the party, but when the plan goes off course, use an alternative to driving drunk. Tipsy Tow Service is just one more way to prevent a fun holiday from ending in tragedy.

For 2010 updates on Tipsy Tow click here: 2010 Tipsy Tow