AAA offers Tipsy Tow to make roads safer throughout the holiday season

[TowNews]

 

 

The free service for AAA members and non-members will take a driver and their car home to help prevent alcohol-related crashes.

 

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — AAA Tidewater Virginia is offering the Tipsy Tow service this Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year seasons.

 

The goal of the program is to provide a safe alternative to drinking and driving on roads in Hampton Roads. The service will be available in the greater Hampton Roads area from 9 p.m. on October 31, 2019, until 6 a.m. on January 1st, 2020.

 

Tipsy Tow will help keep motorists and children safe as they travel the streets.

The free service for AAA members and non-members will be provided in the Greater Hampton Roads area including Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Chesapeake, Suffolk, Newport News, Hampton, Poquoson, Yorktown, and Williamsburg. 

 

The AAA tow truck takes the vehicle and the driver home.

 

“Our Tipsy Tow program helps AAA do what we do best - protecting roadway users by helping potential drunk drivers and everyone else on the road – make it home safely,” said Georjeane Blumling, Vice President of Public Affairs for AAA Tidewater Virginia. “The program works to bring attention to the dangers of drinking and driving beyond just giving an intoxicated driver a safe ride home.  AAA wants motorists to be aware of the high crash risk from drinking and driving especially associated with the holiday season.”

 

Anyone can call 1-(800)-AAA-HELP. The caller simply tells the dispatcher, "I need a TipsyTow," to receive both the free tow and ride home.

 

The service is not for passengers, it's limited to a one-way, one-time ride for the driver. The Tipsy Tow will only take the driver to their home.

 

Reservations are not accepted, and the tows are available within the greater Hampton Roads area. This service is provided free of charge to prevent alcohol-related car crashes.

 

 

[rreschran]

We've seen this in the news at the onset of certain major holidays every year. 

 

My feelings remain unchanged. I salute tow companies and the entities who provide this service, but, after the two recent tow truck driver homicides (two weeks apart) the very act of allowing intoxicated or questionable individuals ride-along with a tow driver is very risky business.

 

While I hate to push this risk onto someone else, if the member or motorist has the sense of mind not to drive, they can leave their vehicle locked and parked ... and then take a taxi home. 

 

I believe that the program has its merits on the safety side, yet, I strongly believe that it further exposes tow truck drivers to potentially violent confrontations. At that very moment an intoxicated someone calls to enlist a tow/ride home, at that point, they've ingested enough booze to become violent, or create some action that can put themselves in harm's way.  

 

Note: Science has proved there is no such thing as a, "Happy Drunk". And, from the article's narrative, let me toss this in the ring by noting, when the member or motorist has three-buddies who want to ride, that car-load of happy drunks ain't gonna' be so happy when the driver tells them they can't.

 

It those simple scenarios that turn ugly real fast. Dodging cars is one thing, but, as a tow business owner, I wouldn't subject my drivers to that kind of potential danger.     R.

[TowZone]

What was it now 27 or 28 years ago I did the T.O.W.E.D. program. While the programs have all the best intentions and are in actuality meant to be a public relations/marketing campaign with news media coverage. The actual cost of the program doesn't actually offset the cost of that media exposure. I would image that media time is less today with the much lower audience numbers for local news stations.

 

I have told of an incident with an intoxicated female numerous times. So, I will attempt to condense it. Dispatch receives a call from a local bar. Women needs a T.O.W.E.D. service from the bar to home. When I arrive the woman is very intoxication. So much that the employees of the bar push her towards me and she nearly falls as I back away. There was no way she could even get out of the parking lot much less find her car. I refused to provide the service based on the fact she could not enter and exit the tow truck on her own. I advise dispatch of this fact and when back home as I was on call. The next morning I learned that the dispatcher had sent another driver out to service the woman under the T.O.W.E.D. Program. That woman upon arriving at her destination, did not wait for the driver to assist her out of the truck and she fell. I do not need to go into further details other than it became a legal matter and the driver lost his job.

 

This being more than 25 years ago it is History. Though, I tell this story nearly every year to warn those doing the program to train dispatchers and drivers how to conduct the program. Proper training which is not generally offered by those creating the programs can avoid issues which can arise dealing with persons which are intoxicated. The originators of the programs either are unaware of the dangers associated with these programs or place the marketing value over the drivers safety. I would like to here of other negative experiences and yes the majority of the tows were simply that tows. TODAY, I would never put a female alone with a male driver though it happens quite often. And every company should invest in a camera system which not only faces forward but faces the passenger as well. This can certainly alter the mindset of the passenger to do harm to or accuse the driver of something they di not do.

 

Sorry these programs with all their best intentions get me worked up! I Care far more about the drivers then those using the service. Today we have numerous ways an intoxicated driver can be transported when they have made that decision not to drive. Those that have not made that decision are going to drive anyway. Most I provided the service for planned the ride in advance were not so drunk they would throw up in your truck and that does happen. They just did it cause they could go out, drink and get a fun ride home. I didn't mind it cause the company paid commission on the regular rates and considered it a Holiday Bonus. Let this be warning if your company is considering participating (Train this is none of these should ever be considered a regular tow). The vehicle runs and the person is intoxicated. Never towed a non running vehicle on the program, I certainly would have refused that one had I gotten the call. What, hows the drunk going to drive a vehicle that doesn't run.....