Posted in Drunk Driving,Tennessee Accident Law on December 27, 2016
AAA and Anheuser-Busch Partner to Offer Safe Rides Home during Holidays
100 million Americans will travel during the 2016 holiday season, and nearly 94 million of them will travel by car, truck, or SUV.
Clarksville Now reports that AAA will partner with Anheuser-Busch to provide safe rides home via the Tow to Go program for people who consume alcohol during the holiday season. The service will be provided beginning anytime on Friday, Dec. 23, and will continue through Monday, Jan. 2. The service will provide rides to people who need to get home within a 10-mile radius of a restaurant, bar, or other gathering.
A spokesperson with Anheuser-Busch says that the Tow to Go program is an effective way to promote the usage of designated drivers and reduce the risks that impaired drivers create for themselves and for others.
The Tow to Go program began in 1998 and has helped more than 24,000 impaired and intoxicated drivers safely get home throughout the Southeast region of the United States. AAA says that the program is a helpful safety net for drivers who didn’t plan and become intoxicated while at a holiday party or gathering but still need a safe way to get home.
How Can You Get Home Safely after Consuming Alcohol?
Many holiday parties and gatherings serve alcohol, and a single drink is enough to put many people over the legal limit. If you attend a holiday party this year or at any other time of year and need a safe way to get home, the following options are great choices:
If you’re at the home of a friend or relative and you’ve consumed alcohol, waiting until the next morning to drive home is much safer than leaving right away or leaving later in the evening. Most people metabolize one drink per hour, which means you may still be intoxicated if you have a few glasses of wine and drive home before your body has had a chance to process the alcohol.
If you’re leaving a restaurant, bar, or a place where it isn’t possible to stay overnight, the best way to get home without having a designated driver is to call a taxi or use a ridesharing service like Uber or Lyft. These options are readily available during the holidays, and while their fares may increase during these times, the price you pay is nothing compared to the cost of a DUI conviction.
If both your home and the location you’re leaving are near bus stops, taking a bus home is a great alternative to using a taxi or ridesharing service. Be sure to check bus schedules in your area to verify that a bus will arrive near your location, and check bus routes and numbers to make sure you take the right bus that will arrive at a stop near your home.
While it’s best to have a designated driver that you can rely on before you head out for a holiday celebration, that’s not always possible. However, you can still rely on the kindness of others to make sure you get home safely after consuming alcohol. If you have sober friends or family members at the celebration or nearby who could give you a ride home, ask them for assistance.
At Matt Hardin Law, our Nashville auto accident attorneys know that far too many crashes that result in serious injuries and fatalities involve alcohol consumption—especially around the holidays. You should never get behind the wheel of a vehicle after you’ve consumed alcohol, as you not only risk being involved in a collision, but you also put yourself at risk of being pulled over and arrested. DUI charges can have serious consequences for your reputation, your career, and even your freedom.
If you or someone you know was injured in an auto accident caused by a drunk or intoxicated driver, you may be eligible to file a claim for compensation. To find out how our legal team can assist you during this difficult time, dial (615) 200-1111 or complete a free online consultation form. We have 20 years of experience fighting for the rights of injured victims, and we know what it takes to win.
