Celebrate Safely This Cinco de Mayo Weekend
As Cinco de Mayo approaches on Saturday, AAA encourages those who plan to be on the road traveling to and from festivities to make preparations ahead of time for getting home safely. Whether it’s using a designated driver, taxi or rideshare service, having a plan helps ensure celebrations don’t turn deadly.
Cinco de Mayo — a holiday that began as a day to commemorate Mexico’s victory over France at the Battle of Puebla in 1862 — has become a popular celebration day in the U.S. However, some partygoers celebrate the festivities with alcohol, increasing the risk for impaired driving.
From 2012-2016, nearly one-third (28%) of fatal traffic crashes during the Cinco de Mayo holiday period were alcohol related, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
“The impact of alcohol extends much farther than just the person behind the wheel,” 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. “With Cinco de Mayo falling on a weekend, we expect more people on the roads, and we urge everyone to plan ahead to avoid putting themselves and others in harm’s way.”
Now in its 20th year, the Tow to Go program – a partnership between AAA and Budweiser – will be available Friday, May 4th through 6am on Sunday, May 6th to offer free rides for anyone needing to get home safely. Tow to Go has provided safe rides to more than 25,000 impaired drivers across the Southeast and the Midwest since 1998.
“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.”
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.
About Anheuser-Busch
Anheuser-Busch and its employees build on a legacy of corporate social responsibility by focusing on three key areas: promoting alcohol responsibility, preserving and protecting the environment and supporting local communities. In the past three decades, Anheuser-Busch and its wholesalers have invested more than $1 billion in preventing drunk driving and underage drinking and promoting responsible retailing and advertising. Anheuser-Busch reduced total water use at its breweries by nearly 50 percent over the last 10 years. The company has been a leading aluminum recycler for more than 30 years. Each year Anheuser-Busch and its Foundation invest approximately $20 million in donations to charitable organizations that help in local communities. The company also has provided over 76 million cans of emergency drinking water to people impacted by natural and other disasters since 1988. Based in St. Louis, Anheuser-Busch, the leading American brewer, is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Anheuser-Busch InBev, the leading global brewer. For more information, visit www.anheuser-busch.com.
About Auto Club Group Traffic Safety Foundation
Established by AAA – The Auto Club Group in 2010, Auto Club Group Traffic Safety Foundation, Inc. (ACGTSF) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and public charity dedicated to producing a significant and continuous reduction in traffic crashes, injuries and deaths in the communities targeted by its efforts. ACGTSF provides programs, education and outreach to increase public awareness about the importance of traffic safety and improve driving behavior. ACGTSF is funded by voluntary, tax-deductible contributions from organizations and individuals who support ACGTSF’s purpose. Visit www.AAA.com/foundation for more information.
About The Auto Club Group
The Auto Club Group (ACG) is the second largest AAA club in North America. ACG and its affiliates provide membership, insurance, financial services and travel offerings to over 9.5 million members across eleven states and two U.S. territories including Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Michigan, Nebraska, North Dakota, Tennessee, Wisconsin, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands; most of Illinois and Minnesota; and a portion of Indiana. ACG belongs to the national AAA federation with more than 58 million members in the United States and Canada and whose mission includes protecting and advancing freedom of mobility and improving traffic safety. Motorists can map a route, identify gas prices, find discounts, book a hotel, and access AAA roadside assistance with the AAA Mobile app for iPhone, iPad and Android. Learn more at AAA.com/mobile. AAA clubs can be visited on the Internet at AAA.com.
