People who want to party but not drive New Year's Eve are in luck.
Several community programs are in place to make sure intoxicated drivers don’t get behind the wheel Monday night.
One of the largest programs is AAA’s free Tow to Go, which is offered to members and non-members in Florida, Georgia and Tennessee.
“Over the New Year’s holiday weekend, there are easily 2,000 service providers working to remove intoxicated drivers from the roadway,” AAA spokeswoman Joanna Newton said. “We have always been about protecting the roadways. We are part of these communities.”
On the Emerald Coast, all of AAA’s regular towing contractors will participate in the program.
“It takes people who have been out at the bars and gets them off the road,” said Toby Matheny, who owns M & M Towing in Niceville and provides the service. “We deliver the person and their car to their home.”
Tow to Go, which is confidential, allows a person to drink and get a ride to a safe place within a 10-mile radius.
“It’s just a good community service,” Matheny said. “When we have a chance to prevent an injury or fatality, we have a responsibility to do so.”
AAA started Tow to Go in 1998 and has removed about 20,000 intoxicated drivers from roads over the years.
Safe ride programs also are being offered at local military bases.
Hurlburt Field’s Airmen Against Drunk Driving chapter will provide a pick-up service Monday night.
“We don’t want people not to have fun on New Year’s Eve, but we also know that sometimes plans fail,” said Tech. Sgt. Stacy Fowler, a spokeswoman for the 1st Special Operations Wing. “And it’s really nice to know you have Airmen Against Drunk Driving there to back you up.”
Fowler said the service is free and confidential to all airmen.
“They will pick you up and take you home, but they will not take you bar to bar,” she said. “They take you straight home, no questions asked.”
The Airmen Against Drunk Driving chapter at Eglin Air Force Base also will provide the same free and confidential service.
CHECK IT OUT
- To use the free Tow to Go service, call 855-2TOW-2-GO or 855-286-9246
- To use Hurlburt Field’s safe-ride service, call 882-8844.
- To use Eglin Air Force Base’s safe-ride service, call 883-AADD(2233)
Contact Daily News Staff Writer Kari C. Barlow at 850-315-4438 or kbarlow@nwfdailynews.com. Follow her on Twitter @KariBnwfdn.