COUNTYWIDE : Free Tows Offered to Avoid Accidents

In a campaign to coax drunken drivers off the road during the holidays, a number of Ventura County towing companies will offer tows free of charge to anyone who wants a safe ride home.

As part of a national program called Towing Operators Working to Eliminate Drunk Driving, or TOWED, local participating firms say they will tow anyone’s car home for free. However, the companies will not tow the car to another party or bar, or tow a disabled car for free.

Last year, participating companies nationwide towed 25,000 vehicles as a courtesy during the holiday season. The program has been honored with a President’s Citation.

“It’s not that we condone excessive drinking,” said Bill McCarty, owner of McCarty & Sons Towing and vice president of the California Tow Truck Assn. “We just want to offer a positive way for people to avoid hurting themselves and others by driving drunk. There’s no charge, no questions and no hassles.”

John Bodaracco of Adamson’s Automotive Repair & Towing in Ojai said demand for the service has increased during the two years the company has participated in the program.

“Some people are a little embarrassed to call us, but those who do have enough common sense to know they shouldn’t drive,” said Bodaracco, who added that last year Adamson’s donated 10 free tows.

Reasons for participating vary among the tow companies. Todd C. Campbell of Conejo Valley Towing & Transport said he is donating his company’s services in the memory of a friend who was killed in a drunk driving accident in 1989.

Carol McCarty of McCarty and Sons said some revelers appear skeptical of the program. “Most people think there’s a gimmick or a catch, but there isn’t,” she said.

The explanation is simple, she said. “If you’ve been in this business for very long, you see a lot of tragic situations,” McCarty said.