AAA Reactivates Tow to Go in Florida for Thanksgiving

AAA Tow to Go is back just in time for the Thanksgiving holiday, serving as the last line of defense to keep impaired drivers off the road.

Since 1998, AAA Tow o Go has removed more than 25,000 impaired drivers from the road. Tow to Go is available Wednesday through Monday in select locations. When called, a tow truck transports the would-be impaired driver and their vehicle to a safe place within a 10 mile radius. The service is free, yet should be treated as a backup plan.

“AAA is proud to bring back this life-saving program this Thanksgiving,” said Mark Jenkins, a spokesman for  AAA and the Auto Club Group. “Now as millions of Americans get behind the wheel this holiday weekend, none of them will have an excuse for driving impaired. However, we still strongly encourage people to plan ahead and identify a safe ride home, and treat Tow to Go as their last resort.”

According to national data from NHTSA, there were 10,142 fatalities in motor vehicle traffic crashes involving drivers impaired by alcohol in all of 2019. Of those fatalities, 417 occurred during the Thanksgiving holiday.

From November – December 2020, there were 1,052 crashes involving alcohol, drugs, or a combination of both in Florida – according to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. In addition, there were 5,442 DUI citations issued across the state. Cases like these could be prevented if impaired drivers found a safe ride home.

AAA TOW TO GO OVERVIEW

Available Dates

6:00PM Wednesday, November 24 – 6:00AM Monday, November 29

Service Areas

FL, GA, IA, MI, ND, NE, TN, WI, CO (Denver), NC (Charlotte) and IN (Fort Wayne/South Bend)

Phone Number

(855) 2-TOW-2-GO or (855) 286-9246

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 miles radius.

AAA service vehicles are limiting passengers to one (1) per vehicle, with face mask/covering, in accordance with established COVID-19 safety protocols.  Additional passengers need to make other arrangements.

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.