Do International Plaza parking policies encourage drunk driving?
International Plaza's unfriendly overnight parking policy could be encouraging drinkers to take their vehicles home when then they’re too drunk to drive.
TAMPA, Florida – There may be no single address along Florida’s Gulf Coast that serves more alcohol than 2223 West Shore Blvd., home to International Plaza. But the plaza’s unfriendly overnight parking policy could be encouraging drinkers to take their vehicles home when then they’re too drunk to drive.
During 10Investigates’ recent series on aggressive towing, viewers complained that International Plaza -- a mall that includes approximately 20 bars and restaurants -- prohibited overnight parking, even when a driver may have more alcohol than he or she planned and had other options to get home.
That could be discouraging bar and restaurant patrons to get a ride home via taxi, Uber, or a friend. And that means more drunk drivers on our roads.
The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) reports that one of International Plaza’s establishments, Blue Martini, was among the top 10 spots drivers arrested for DUI had just come from, according to the agency’s 2014 “last drink” survey.
And when a 10Investigates reporter called the plaza's customer service desk to inquire about parking overnight if someone has too much to drink, both a concierge and a security guard said there were no exceptions to the overnight parking ban. When prodded, the security guard eventually said vehicles won’t get towed if they’re left overnight – only issued a violation – but “you didn’t hear that from me.”
It isn’t clear why International Plaza prohibits overnight parking. The 6,000 parking spots are seldom full.
And the plaza’s general manager, Gary Malfroid, said the overnight parking ban was a requirement of the mall’s lease with the Tampa Aviation Authority, but an airport spokesperson said it wasn’t true.
Records show the plaza doesn’t actually request many vehicles impounded overnight, and Malfroid later told 10Investigates it allows a driver to leave a vehicle overnight if he or she seeks out a security guard or mall representative ahead of time.
But most customers wouldn’t know that, and the plaza didn’t seem to have any visible proactive measures to discourage drunk driving. Signage indicates customers’ vehicles will be towed overnight if they aren’t driven off the property.
Tampa’s Radical Signage Idea
Tampa’s city council might soon require International Plaza to install new signage, as it will continue a discussion on Thursday morning, aimed at encouraging drinkers to find alternative ways home.
Following 10Investigates’ stories on how aggressive towing could be encouraging drunk driving, the council will consider a radical new proposal that would require any bar or restaurant that served alcohol to post signs alerting customers that their vehicles generally cannot be towed before noon the next day.
The city already has an ordinance on the books banning tow trucks from patrolling parking lots of establishments that serve alcohol overnight – the owner or manager of an establishment still has a right to call a tow in for a specific problem vehicle – but most customers have no idea there is a consumer protection in place that allows them to come back and retrieve their vehicles in the morning.
"(New signs would) create a safer environment,” said Tampa councilman Guido Maniscalco. “We have it on the books, but this is just a way to educate the public about knowing they don't have to get their car towed.
“We can potentially save lives; save folks from getting their cars impounded; save folks from driving drunk and causing damage to whomever."
ALSO READ: Tampa downplays towing troubles, withholds public records
Since 10Investigates started reporting on towing outside drinking establishments, Pasco County commissioners approved an identical towing ordinance to Tampa. Pinellas County commissioners are currently researching one as well.
