Operation Tipsy Tow Participation Doubled in 2009

AAA and Local Towing Companies Helped Over 140 Montanans Arrive

Home Safely This Holiday Season

Helena, Mont. 1/12/2010 – AAA would like to thank residents of Billings, Bozeman, Helena and Missoula for being responsible holiday revelers and calling Operation Tipsy Tow.  The program provided over 140 tows during the Christmas and New Year holiday season, more than doubling the number of participants from 2008.

AAA partnered with Agave Towing, Elite Towing and Red’s Towing to provide alcohol impaired drivers a free and confidential way to get home during the holiday break. Operation Tipsy Tow was offered in Billings for the fifth year and over 45 tows were given by Agave Towing. This was the first time the program was offered in Missoula and Red’s Towing ensured mover than 20 residents arrived home safely.

“Operation Tipsy Tow is a grassroots effort aimed at educating Montanans about the risks of driving while intoxicated. The program provided residents a way to get home safely if they had too much cheer,” said Denice Harris, AAA spokeswoman. “With services like Operation Tipsy Tow, Alert Cab, Home Free and other similar services, there was no reason to drive under the influence.”

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Montana joined AAA as a co-sponsor this year along with Sandy Mac's Distributing, Briggs Distributing, Summit Beverage and Cardinal Distributing.

“We sincerely thank Blue Cross and the many beer distributors who have joined AAA in this effort. We could not have done this without their help in getting the word out,” says Harris.

The number of alcohol-related fatalities decreased in 2009 according to the Montana Highway Patrol’s preliminary numbers (subject to change). Last year, 89 people were killed in alcohol related traffic crashes on Montana’s roads compared to 93 in 2008. 

“AAA is pleased more residents utilized Operation Tipsy Tow in 2009 and hope this positive trend continues,” said Harris. “This year, we hope to expand the program into even more Montana communities and perhaps other Holiday seasons as well.”

AAA MountainWest is dedicated to providing its over 170,000 members in Alaska, Montana and Wyoming with travel, insurance, financial and auto-related services. A fully tax-paying, not-for-profit corporation, AAA MountainWest, Inc. works for the improvement of motoring and traveling conditions and is a leader for travel, civic and safety issues. In 2008, AAA was voted the #1 socially responsible business brand in America by Landor’s BrandAsset® Valuator. AAA can be visited on the Internet at www.AAA.com. To have up-to-date news and safety information from AAA delivered right to your desktop, sign-up for the new RSS Feed at http://mtw.aaashare.com/index.php#rss.

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