No tipsy tow service this New Year’s Eve due to surge in COVID-19 cases

If you needed another reason to curb the New Year’s Eve celebrations this year, here’s one — AAA won’t be providing free rides home for those who may have had too much to drink.

In years past, AAA Texas offered the service to take drivers and their vehicles home free of charge, up to 10 miles.

But in 2020 and now again in 2021, AAA won’t provide the service due to a surge in COVID-19 cases.

“To help reduce the exposure of our contract station drivers to COVID-19 given the rapidly spreading omicron variant, as well as a growing number of canceled New Year’s Eve events, AAA Texas will not provide Tipsy Tow this New Year’s holiday,” said AAA spokesperson Daniel Armbruster.

Community health leaders have urged people to celebrate responsibly this year with omicron variant COVID-19 cases growing exponentially in the last week, asking people to stay home or wear a mask in public.

Also on KSAT:

City, county leaders warn of new COVID-19 spike, stress on healthcare systemSan Antonio law enforcement hopes to prevent spike in drunk driving crashes during New Year’s holiday weekendUniversity Health urges people to use ERs only in true emergencies, skip New Year’s Eve parties due to omicron surgeMetro Health officials warning residents to celebrate NYE safely as COVID-19 cases rise