The holiday season is a time of joy and family togetherness. However, one mistake can turn a celebration into a time of tragedy, warns Randy Wright, President of Cottman Transmission and Total Auto Care, a national brand that services virtually any make and model vehicle. Drinking and driving is one of the major causes of traffic fatalities, and statistics show it spikes during the holiday season.
Seasonal Drinking And Driving
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that 10,076 people were killed in crashes involving drunk driving in 2013, the latest year for which statistics are available. In December alone, 733 people died on our roads and highways – 23 died on Christmas Day.
NHTSA is launching its annual Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign, which runs from Dec. 16 through Jan. 1. As part of the national enforcement campaign, police will increase the number of patrols, set up roadblocks and checkpoints, and use local media to get the message out to all drivers. Drivers caught drinking and driving could face jail time, fines, loss of driver’s license, towing fees, and other DUI expenses that total $10,000 on average.
“It’s time for all drivers to get the message,” said Wright. “Drunk driving is a choice you make, and when you make that choice, people get hurt or die.” He said the safest way to get home and practice holiday driving safety is to drive sober or catch a ride with a sober designated driver.
Avoid Drunk Driving
Here are some other holiday driving safety tips to follow this season:
- If you plan to drink at a holiday party or at a restaurant, hand the keys over to someone else – a sober friend – or use a taxi or public transportation.
- NHTSA has a SaferRide mobile app, which allows users to call a taxi or a friend by identifying their location so they can be picked up. The app is available at http://ow.ly/RWs3S for Android and http://ow.ly/RWs8h for iPhone users.
- In addition to reminding all drivers to drive sober, NHTSA asks everyone to be alert. If you see a drunk driver on the road, call the police right away. If someone you know is about to drive after drinking, take their keys and help them get home safely.
- NHTSA reminds drivers that even one drink can impair your judgment and increase the risk of getting arrested for driving drunk—or worse, the risk of having a crash.
“All of us at Cottman, including your local Cottman Man, work hard all year long to be sure your car is operating safely and smoothly,” Wright said. “We urge our customers, as well as all drivers, to do their part by planning ahead and avoid putting themselves and others in a dangerous or life-threatening position by drinking and driving. It’s a simple choice, driven by common sense.”
The customer service was concerned about the parking area for my vehicle for overnight early bird service.They called me to inform me they were gonna check back with me before any services on my vehicle were done with my approval which, made me comfortable to know they showed responsibility in their work.
Fast, friendly, reliable and fair. I ended up having to get my town & country transmission repaired/replaced & my spark plugs replaced right before Christmas this past year & they said they could do it the next day if I could leave it that day. Well I didn't have a ride home & my other car needed a jump start since we hadn't driven it much. The owner not only offered to drive me home, but also jump start my other car so I could of get my niece from school. If that's not service, I don't know what is. They also ened up doing my 2014 escape transmission the yr b4. They were recommended by a friend & I would recommend them as well.
I purchased a "newly" used vehicle and was concerned about transmission issues and they made sure I was taken care of. The staff was extremely friendly and polite, and not only did they provide me with all the necessary services I needed, they also educated me. I would highly recommend this location.
The service was great. Someone recommended them to me. They took care of the issue I was having with my vehicle with no issues. I’ll be going to them from here on out!
A very satisfied customer
Staff were all professional. Manager was a saint, gentleman, and scholar. Great company with excellent values. I would highly recommend them.
Kevin and his entire staff are the best. I had a brake caliper fail and they took care of very quickly and for a great price. Since then, I had new flare fenders with led lights installed on my Jeep Wrangler. Same great service and value.
I have been taking my vehicles to Cottman for the last year and I have never been disappointed. Kevin is the General Manager and I have known him personally for several years. This is an honest shop with quality work and great, trustworthy employees. Law Enforcement friendly, which is a major plus. It is hard to find a reliable place for vehicles now and days so skip the stress and take your vehicles here.
I love this place. came here a few years back, great work. just came in recently, wanted to wait a few days for the review.let me tell you Vicki was amazing and as helpful as can be and kevin did repair and excellent job on my transmission as well as work with me . had a world of trouble with my warranty place but they did their best to help with it all and my car is running excellent. will be back soon for oil change and any future repairs. thanks guys.
I love this place. came here a few years back, great work. just came in recently, wanted to wait a few days for the review.let me tell you Vicki was amazing and as helpful as can be and kevin did repair and excellent job on my transmission as well as work with me . had a world of trouble with my warranty place but they did their best to help with it all and my car is running excellent. will be back soon for oil change and any future repairs. thanks guys.
My experience at Cottman was awesome! The waiting lounge was very clean and looked great. The front desk staff was kind and personable. My wheels got aligned very quickly and they did a great job for an awesome price! The owner is extremely professional and quite handsome as well.
Best shop to have your vehicle repaired. Professional and timely. Owner gives fair prices and easy to work with. I would highly recommend to anyone.
The work was excellent and done in a timely manner. Found the best pri
ce for the work needed!!!
Great customer service!! The staff was very attentive. A issue arose while they were working on my vehicle, and the mechanics diagnosed it and where back on track in no time. What I liked the most was that they kept me in the loop while they tried to find a resolution.
Fast and efficient service.
