Tipsy Tow

Thanks to AAA (no, not AA), drunk drivers and their vehicles will be offered free trips home over the upcoming New Year's holiday weekend thanks to the Auto Club's "Tipsy Tow'' service.

The service is available from 6 p.m. Friday through the end of the day Sunday in the 13 Southland counties served by the Automobile Club of Southern California.

Motorists, bartenders, restaurant managers, party hosts or passengers of a drinking driver may call (800) 400-4AAA for a free tow home of up to seven miles.

Callers simply tell Auto Club operators, "I need a Tipsy Tow,'' to receive the free tow and ride home, Thorp said. A regular Auto Club-contracted emergency road service truck will be dispatched.

The Auto Club advised motorists to follow these safety tips:

• At social events, designate non-drinking drivers who can get everyone home safely.
• Call a friend or family member for a ride 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.