AAA Alabama offering free towing on New Year's Eve | Community Spirit

According to a recent analysis conducted by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, during the last decade, the years’ highest number of alcohol-related traffic fatalities occur on New Year’s Day, so AAA Alabama and wrecker services are offering Tow-for-Life for the 25th year in a row.

Tow-for-Life is a public service program that provides free towing services to keep impaired drivers off the road.  It begins at 6 p.m. on Friday, December 30th and continues until 6 a.m. New Year's Day.

To receive free towing on New Year’s Eve:
• Call AAA Alabama at 1-800-222-4357 (1-800-AAA-HELP) and ask for Tow-for-Life. The vehicle must be operable to qualify for a free tow.
• The operator will ask for the driver’s name, home address, telephone number and exact location of the vehicle and driver.
• A tow truck will be dispatched and upon arrival the wrecker driver will ask for identification and the keys to the vehicle.
• The vehicle will be towed to the home of the driver or owner if the owner is present.
• Towing is provided at NO CHARGE up to 10 miles.

AAA encourages party-goers who drink alcohol to appoint a designated driver, and party hosts should prevent guests from driving after drinking by calling a taxi to take them home, allowing the guest to spend the night or by making other arrangements to keep them safe.
 
AAA reminds motorists of the true costs of impaired driving:
 
• It can cost you your life. In 2009, 10,839 people lost their lives in alcohol-related traffic crashes.  That’s about one death every 48 minutes.
• It can cost another’s life.  Alcohol-related traffic crashes don’t only affect the impaired driver.  One third of alcohol-involved traffic fatalities are passengers, occupants in other vehicles or pedestrians. 
• It can cost you your freedom.  A first-time DUI conviction can result in a six-to 12-month jail sentence, more for repeat offenders and for impaired drivers who injure or kill someone in a crash. Monitoring bracelets, ignition interlock equipment, license revocation and probation also place restrictions on your life.
AAA works year round to educate motorists about driving practices that will help keep them safe and reduce traffic-related crashes and the injuries that can result. PreventDUI.AAA.com is an online resource offering impaired driving facts, transportation alternatives and expert advice.  Once there, AAA encourages visitors to Take the Pledge to drive drug and alcohol-free.
 
With ten offices across Alabama and more than one thousand offices nationwide, AAA is North America’s largest motoring and leisure travel organization. AAA provides travel, insurance, financial and automotive-related services to more than 338,000 Alabama members and more than 52 million members nationwide.  Since its founding in 1902, the not-for-profit, AAA has been a leader and advocate for the safety and security of all travelers.  AAA clubs can be visited on the Internet at www.AAA.com.