Drivers who drink while cheering on their team Super Bowl Sunday can get a free tow home after the game, AAA said Thursday.
AAA is calling the offer the Tipsy Tow program, a program that has been going on for more than a decade.
The offer is good for the driver and vehicle and additional passengers provided there is enough room in the tow truck to transport them safely.
AAA will start the service at 6 p.m. Super Bowl Sunday and continue it through 6 a.m. February 2 in Northern California, Nevada and Utah. Drivers, passengers, party hosts, bartenders and restaurant managers can call 800-222-4357 (AAA-HELP) to arrange a free tow of up to 10 miles.
The Tipsy Tow program is open to everyone, including drivers who are not members of AAA.
AAA says when calling to say, “I need a Tipsy Tow.” No reservations are available.
Although Super Bowl celebrations are popular, AAA expects to be able to handle all the calls efficiently.
AAA spokeswoman Cynthia Harris said all the drivers and stations regularly available in Northern California will be available for calls.
“Every call that goes in will be serviced,” Harris said.
It’s unlikely there would be delays, but she said there could be if there was a storm or natural disaster, such as a Lake Tahoe snowstorm.
California Highway Patrol crash data show that the risk of an injury or fatal crash involving alcohol increases by 77 percent on Super Bowl Sunday in California and DUI offenses can be expensive.
A person’s first-time DUI conviction can cost about $15,649 or more including fines, penalties, restitution, legal fees and increased insurance costs, AAA estimates. For men and women under 21, the cost of a first-time misdemeanor DUI is $21,500, AAA estimates.
Of any Sunday of the year, police make the most arrests on Super Bowl Sunday.
“We’re going to send a tow truck and get them home safely,” Harris said.
Keith Burbank, Bay City News
