Virginia Beach, Va. – AAA advises that motorists can keep themselves and others safe and avoid DUI arrests by keeping these safe driving tips in mind over the New Year’s holiday:
• At social events, designate a non-drinking driver who can get everyone home safely.
• Call a friend or family member for a ride if you’ve been drinking.
• Keep a cab company telephone number in your wallet so you can call for a ride home.
• As a party host, offer a variety of non-alcoholic drink alternatives, provide a gift to guests who volunteer to be designated drivers and arrange transportation through programs, such as Tow To Go, for guests who have been drinking.
• Take the car keys away from friends and relatives who have had too much to drink.
AAA Tidewater Virginia, in cooperation with Anheuser-Busch and Hoffman Beverage Co., will once again offer its Tow To Go service in the Hampton Roads community this holiday season. The goal of the program is to provide a safe alternative to drinking and driving on area roads. The service will be available in Norfolk, Portsmouth, Suffolk, Virginia Beach, Hampton, Newport News, Poquoson, Yorktown, and Williamsburg until 6:00 a.m. on January 1, 2013.
Motorists, bartenders, restaurant managers, party hosts or passengers of a drinking driver can call (757) 631-1700 to request a free Tow To Go home. Callers need to keep in mind that the service excludes rides for passengers, is restricted to a one-way, one-time ride for the driver, and the destination is limited to the driver’s residence. Reservations are not accepted, and the tows are only available within the specified cities.
The Tow To Go program is open to any driver; AAA membership is not required. This service is provided free of charge to prevent alcohol-related car crashes. This marks the 8th year that AAA Tidewater Virginia is offering its free Tow To Go service to the public during the holiday season. Drinking drivers frequently fail to seek and obtain alternative ways to get home because they are concerned about retrieving their vehicle, the expense of taxis and the inconvenience of alternative transportation.
Tow To Go is intended to give motorists a safer option for getting themselves and their vehicles home, instead of driving while intoxicated.
“We want motorists to be aware of the high crash risk from drinking and driving associated with holidays and encourage them to think twice about getting behind the wheel if they have been drinking,” said AAA Tidewater Virginia spokesperson Georjeane Blumling.
As part of North America’s largest motoring and leisure travel organization, AAA Tidewater Virginia provides its more than 325,000 members with travel, insurance, financial and automotive-related services. Since its founding AAA Tidewater Virginia has been a leader and advocate for the safety and security of all travelers.
