Free ride options to help keep roadways safe
With plenty of beverages of choice flowing during Christmas and New Year’s celebrations across Southwest Florida, there are a few ways to get home safe following the festivities.
Chuck and Eddie Farah, senior partners at Farah & Farah, are bringing their Safe Ride Home Program back to Fort Myers for its third consecutive year, offering residents $50 Uber credits to ensure everyone gets home safely.
Farah & Farah states that the New Year’s Eve historically sees higher crash rates than any other holiday.
The Farahs are putting resources into prevention, having already provided nearly 17,000 safe rides across the region.
“Having spent over four decades championing the cause of accident victims, we understand the profound, life-altering consequences a crash can bring,” stated Chuck Farah, senior managing partner at Farah & Farah. “By offering our annual New Year’s Eve Safe Ride Home Program, we’re providing a concrete way for thousands to celebrate responsibly, avoid becoming a statistic, and ensure they return home safe.”
Credits are available to use from 6 p.m. on Dec. 31, until 6 a.m. on New Year’s Day. To claim the credit, visit farahandfarah.com.
AAA is once again offering its “Tow to Go” program to help keep impaired drivers off the road this holiday season. The service will be active from 6 p.m. on Dec. 24, through 6 a.m. on Jan. 2 across select states, including Florida.
‘Tow to Go’ provides a free, confidential ride and tow for impaired drivers and their vehicles to a safe location within a 10-mile radius. Open to both AAA members and non-members, the program is designed as a last-resort safety net when other options, like a designated driver or rideshare, fall through.
“The holiday season is a time for joy and celebration, but it also carries a greater risk of impaired driving,” stated Molly Hart, spokesperson for AAA – The Auto Club Group. To use Tow to Go, call 855 2-TOW-2-GO.
According to AAA, alcohol-impaired driving is involved in nearly one-third of all U.S. traffic deaths. AAA officials stated that In 2023 alone, over 12,000 lives were lost in alcohol-related crashes – one every 42 minutes.
Roadways will be busy this holiday season. According to projections from AAA, 122.4 million Americans will travel at least 50 miles from home over the 13-day, year-end holiday period that began Dec. 20 and ends Jan. 1. This year’s AAA estimation is a 2.2% increase over 2024, surpassing last year’s record of 119.7 million travelers.
It’s predicted to be a busy travel time as AAA projects 109.5 million Americans will travel by car for their year-end trips, an increase of 2% compared to last year. Experts state driving is the most popular mode of transportation, largely due to its convenience and low cost. This year, 89% of holiday travelers will take road trips.
To reach CJ HADDAD, please email cjhaddad@breezenewspapers.com