Drinking this weekend and need a ride?
The American Auto Association and Budweiser will provide free towing of vehicles and free rides home to members and non-members this Labor Day weekend with their program, Tow to Go.
Starting Friday, Sept. 1, drivers who are intoxicated and need a ride home will be able to get their vehicle towed for free to their homes by the AAA for no charge. Drivers can access this service as long as the ride does not exceed ten miles.
“We want people to plan ahead, and make sure that if they’re going to be celebrating with alcohol, that they have a designated driver,” said AAA spokesman Matt Nasworthy. “Tow to Go kind of is that safety net if they’re caught out there and don’t have a plan in place.”
Last year, the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles gave more than 44,000 DUI citations, and 2,318 of those were given in Orange County.
According to the center for disease control, about one in every three traffic deaths in the US involve a drunk driver. The CDC also says that the rate of adults that report driving after drinking too much is 2.1 percent in Florida, higher than the national average of 1.9 percent.
AAA said Tow to Go has safely removed more than 24,000 impaired drivers from the road since 1998, the year the program was created. Any person in Florida can get Tow to Go services for free by calling 1-855-286-9246.
The free service will end Tuesday, Sept. 6 at 6 a.m.