Jessica Mathews / news@whmi.com


AAA is preparing for a busy Thanksgiving holiday weekend - expecting to respond to more than 570,000 calls from drivers with car trouble.

The Auto Club Group has again launched its free ‘Tow to Go’ service, which is aimed at preventing impaired driving.

The program is available in Michigan and other select states, offering a safe ride for would-be impaired drivers and their vehicles.

AAA requests that the program be used as a last resort - yet it is free to those who need it.

Tow to Go went active on 6pm Wednesday, and runs through 6am Monday, December 2nd.

Nationwide, AAA expects Thanksgiving travel to set new records with an estimated 71.7 million Americans forecast to take a road trip. In Michigan, record travel is also forecast.

AAA reminds that combining cocktails with crowded roads can be deadly. During the Thanksgiving holiday weekend from 2017-2021, more than 830 people died in crashes involving a drunk driver – per the National Highway Transportation Administration.

AAA Michigan Spokeswoman Adrienne Woodland said “Tow to Go serves as that last line of defense in keeping impaired drivers off the road. If you plan to consume alcohol or drugs this weekend, make plans for a safe ride home first. If your plans fall through, you can call AAA, and we’ll get you to a safe place.”

The Auto Club Group has provided the Tow to Go program for more than 25 years - removing nearly 30,000 impaired drivers from U.S. roadways.

When someone calls Tow to Go - (855) 2-TOW-2-GO or (855) 286-9246 - a tow truck is dispatched to transport the vehicle and its owner to a safe location within a 10-mile radius. This service is free, regardless of whether the caller is a AAA member.

Guidelines:

-Free and available to AAA members and non-members.

-Confidential local ride for one person and their vehicle to a safe location within a 10-mile radius.

-Appointments cannot be scheduled in advance. Tow to Go is designed as a safety net for those who did not plan ahead. Always choose a designated driver before celebrating.

-In some situations, AAA may need to make other arrangements to get an impaired individual a safe ride home.

-Tow to Go may not be available in rural areas or during severe weather conditions.