Denny’s Wrecker Service offers free holiday tows for drunk drivers

“Drive sober or get pulled over.”

“Drunk driving kills.”

You’ve probably heard these sayings and others like them several times.

You’ve also probably seen all the PSAs. Different videos, but each with the same message: Don’t drink and drive.

The messages and commercials continue because drunk driving fatalities continue to happen.

Despite the warnings, the statistics are sobering.

According to the Center for Disease Control, nationally, there were 10,265 alcohol-related fatality crashes in 2015. That’s nearly one-third of all car crash deaths in the U.S.

For the most recent Idaho statistics available, there were more than 700 deaths from a crash involving a drunk driver from 2002-2012.

The Idaho Traffic Safety Resource reports more than 9,000 DUI arrests in Idaho in 2012.

“It’s heartbreaking really,” said DeAnn Wilson, with Denny’s Wrecker Service. “You can do something else besides drink and drive. You can stay home, you can call a cab, use Uber now.”

Denny’s Wrecker Service and Towing in Chubbuck is trying to do its part to prevent drunk driving by offering free rides to those who aren’t sober enough to drive.

During the holidays, Denny’s runs a TOWED campaign: Towing Operators Working to Eliminate Drunk Driving.

If you’ve had too much to drink, call Denny’s and they’ll pick you up and take both you and your car home safely – for free.

The campaign started nationally several years ago and Denny’s decided to join back in the 80s.

“For us, our family – my brother – died in a drunk driving accident so definitely it’s personal,” Wilson said. “And as towers, we see all the damage that drinking and driving causes. it causes property damage and takes lives and it’s really just not worth it.”

Since 2004, Denny’s has done 986 free tows – and probably thousands before that since it first began.

“We love the Pocatello/Chubbuck community,” Wilson said. “That’s why we do it. So we’re very excited. We gear up every year, we talk about it, our drivers are ready, our dispatchers are ready, so it’s just our way to give back to the community.”

TOWED starts Thursday night, Dec. 14 and goes through Jan. 1. To have Denny’s pick you up, call 208-237-0671.

There are a few conditions for those who want to participate:

1. TOWED can only take you home, it will not take you to another bar or party.
2. The car towed home must be operable.
3. TOWED boundaries are the immediate Pocatello/Chubbuck areas. Regular mileage rates apply outside of the area.
4. If you are in an accident or police on scene, it’s too late for a free ride and regular rates will apply.