PLAN AHEAD FOR A SAFE ST. PATRICK’S DAY WEEKEND
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 Matt Nasworthy, Florida 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.
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.
