MEDIA RELEASE

AAA Hawaii is offering its free Tipsy Tow service during the 4th of July holiday. The community service is available from 6 p.m. Saturday, July 3, to midnight Sunday, July 4, to help remove drinking drivers from the road. The service is available on the Big Island.

Motorists, bartenders, restaurant managers, party hosts or passengers of a drinking driver may call 1-800-222-4357 for a free tow home of up to five miles. Callers simply tell the AAA operators, “I need a Tipsy Tow,” to receive the free tow and ride home. A regular AAA Hawaii-contracted roadside service truck will be dispatched.

Callers need to keep in mind that the service excludes rides for passengers, is restricted to a one-way, one-time ride for the driver and the destination is limited to the driver’s residence. Reservations are not accepted. Drivers can expect to pay the rate charged by the tow truck contractor for rides farther than five miles.

“Drivers should be aware of the high crash risk from drinking and driving associated with holidays and we encourage them not to get behind the wheel if they’ve been drinking,” AAA Hawaii’s Acting Branch Manager Chris Olvera said.

Fourth of July is a traditional time for barbecues, family gatherings, parties, picnics and activities that contribute to a more relaxed atmosphere and more opportunities for drinking alcohol, Olvera said.

“It only takes one or two drinks to slow physical and mental skills that affect vision, steering, braking judgment, and reaction time,” he said. “Drivers should be aware that law enforcement agencies are likely using sobriety checkpoints and extra patrols to look for drinking drivers during the holiday.”

A recent AAA report found that 10 percent of motorists admit to driving when they believed their blood alcohol content was above the legal limit.

“This is entirely preventable,” said Olvera.

Drinking drivers frequently don’t plan for other ways to get home because they are concerned about retrieving their vehicle the next day. They cite taxi costs and inconvenience as reasons they don’t use alternate transportation, according to the Auto Club. Tipsy Tow provides motorists with a safe ride home for themselves and their vehicle instead of driving while intoxicated.

People convicted of driving under the influence could lose many of the important things in their lives, such as family, job, dignity and money. AAA Hawaii estimates that a first time DUI conviction in Hawaii can cost $13,000 in fines, penalties, restitution, legal fees and increased insurance costs.

AAA Hawaii advises motorists can keep themselves and others safe and can avoid DUI arrests by keeping these safety tips in mind:

* At social events, designate non-drinking drivers who can get everyone home safely.
* Call a friend or family member for a ride home if you have been drinking.
* Keep a cab company telephone number in your wallet so you can call for a ride home.
* As a party host, offer a variety of non-alcoholic drink alternatives and provide a gift to guests who volunteer to be designated drivers.
* Take the car keys away from friends and relatives who have had too much to drink.