AAA activates 'Tow to Go' for Thanksgiving holiday weekend
MILWAUKEE - As AAA prepares to rescue more than 360,000 drivers with car trouble this holiday weekend, it will also work to keep impaired drivers off the road.
Wednesday night, the Auto Club Group will activate its Tow to Go campaign.
The program is available in Wisconsin and other select states, offering a safe ride for would-be impaired drivers and their vehicles. AAA requests that the program be used as a last resort, yet it is free to those who need it.
- Tow to Go is active from 6 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 22 to 6 a.m. Monday, Nov. 27.
Nationwide, AAA projects the third-busiest Thanksgiving on record, with an estimated 49.1 million Americans forecast to take a road trip. Combining cocktails with crowded roads can be deadly. During the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, from 2017-2021, more than 830 people died in crashes involving a drunk driver (NHTSA).
"Tow to Go serves as that last line of defense in keeping impaired drivers off the road," said Nick Jarmusz, director of public affairs for AAA – The Auto Club Group. "If you plan to consume alcohol or drugs this weekend, make plans for a safe ride home first. If your plans fall through, you can call AAA and we’ll get you to a safe place."
This is the 25th year The Auto Club Group has provided the Tow to Go program. When called upon, The Auto Club Group dispatches a tow truck to transport the impaired person and their vehicle to a safe location within a 10-mile radius for free. Since its inception, Tow to Go has removed more than 25,000 impaired drivers from the road.
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TOW TO GO GUIDELINES
- Free and available to AAA members and non-members.
- Confidential local ride for one person and their vehicle to a safe location within a 10-mile radius.
- Appointments cannot be scheduled in advance to use Tow to Go. It is designed as a safety net for those that did not plan ahead. Always choose a designated driver before celebrating.
- In some situations, AAA may need to make other arrangements to get an impaired individual a safe ride home.
- Tow to Go may not be available in rural areas or during severe weather conditions.