AAA Offering Monrovia Residents Tipsy Tow for New Year's Holiday

The following news release is provided by the Automobile Club of Southern California.

The Automobile Club of Southern California is offering its free Tipsy Tow service during the New Year’s Eve holiday for the 17th year.  The community service is available from 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 31, to 6 a.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 1, to help remove drinking drivers from the road.  Tipsy Tow is available in the 13 Southern California counties served by the Auto Club.

Motorists, bartenders, restaurant managers, party hosts or passengers of a drinking driver may call 1-800-400-4AAA for a free tow home of up to seven miles.  Callers simply tell the Auto Club operators, “I need a Tipsy Tow,” to receive the free tow and ride home.  A regular Auto Club-contracted roadside service truck will be dispatched.  The Auto Club’s free service is unique in that it transports both the driver and their vehicle.

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.  For rides farther than seven miles, drivers can expect to pay the rate charged by the tow truck contractor. 

Drinking drivers frequently don’t plan for other ways to get home because they are concerned about retrieving their vehicle the next day.  They cite taxi costs and inconvenience as reasons they don’t use alternate transportation, according to the Auto Club.    

“Drivers should be aware of the high crash risk from drinking and driving associated with holidays, and we encourage them not to get behind the wheel if they’ve been drinking,” said the Auto Club’s senior traffic safety researcher Steve Bloch.

New Year’s Eve is a traditional time for family gatherings, parties, restaurant outings and activities that contribute to a more relaxed atmosphere and more opportunities for drinking alcohol, according to Bloch.

“It only takes one or two drinks to slow physical and mental skills that affect vision, steering, braking judgment, and reaction time,” he said.  “Drivers should be aware that the California Highway Patrol and law enforcement agencies use sobriety checkpoints and extra patrols to look for drinking drivers during the holiday.”

California law enforcement officials arrest large numbers of DUI offenders every year. In 2012, 175,407 drivers were arrested for the offense, or enough to fill Dodger Stadium more than three times. “The toll from drinking and driving in California is enormous,” said Bloch.  In California, 24,000 individuals were killed or injured in alcohol-related crashes in 2012, he added.

A recent AAA report found that 10 percent of motorists admit to driving when they thought their blood alcohol content was above the legal limit.  “This is entirely preventable,” said Bloch.

People convicted of driving under the influence could lose many of the important things in their lives, such as family, job, dignity and money.  The Auto Club estimates that a first offense misdemeanor DUI conviction in California can cost approximately $15,649 or more in fines, penalties, restitution, legal fees and increased insurance costs.  The cost is up 29% over the past few years – largely due to an increase in fines and insurance.  The estimated cost of a first-offense misdemeanor DUI for those under age 21 is $22,492.

Current laws, enforcement, public awareness, and education efforts by public service-oriented organizations, including the Auto Club, have contributed to the decline in the number of alcohol-related fatalities during the past 13 years.  The Auto Club provides the Tipsy Tow service and free publications as part of its “You Drink.  You Drive.  You Lose.” public awareness campaign.  Although Tipsy Tow is offered by the Auto Club and other AAA clubs, it is not a nationwide program.  Check with your local AAA club for availability.

The Auto Club advises that motorists can keep themselves and others safe and can avoid DUI arrests by keeping these safety tips in mind:

• Always plan ahead to designate a non-drinking driver before any party or celebration begins.
• At social events, designate non-drinking drivers who can get everyone home safely.
• Never serve alcohol to those under age 21.
• Never ride as a passenger in a car driven by someone who was drinking alcohol – even after one drink.
• Call a friend or family member for a ride home if you’ve been drinking.
• Keep a cab company telephone number in your cell phone and wallet so you can call for a ride home.
• As a party host, offer non-alcoholic drink alternatives and provide a gift to guests who volunteer to be designated drivers; provide overnight accommodations to guests who’ve been drinking.
• Take the car keys away from friends and relatives who have had too much to drink.
• If you encounter an impaired driver on the road, keep a safe distance and ask a passenger to call 911 (or pull over to a safe location to make the call yourself).
• Remember: prescription, over-the-counter medications and illegal drugs also can impair your ability to drive safely.

Visit PreventDUI.AAA.com for impaired driving facts, transportation alternatives and expert advice.  AAA encourages visitors to Take the Pledge to drive drug and alcohol-free.