What Is Roadside Assistance and How Does It Work?
Learn what roadside assistance covers and how it works.
What is roadside assistance?
If you have trouble on the road and your car is no longer drivable, you can contact roadside assistance for help. Once contacted, this type of emergency service can head to almost anywhere your car breaks down—on the side of the road, in your driveway, or in a grocery store parking lot.
Roadside emergency services typically include:
- Towing
- Flat tire changes
- Testing and jump-starting a dead battery
- Emergency fuel delivery
- Car lockout services
And if your vehicle requires more than one of these minor services, roadside assistance can tow your car to an auto repair shop.
AAA Membership plans include 24/7 roadside assistance, no matter whose car you’re in.
AAA Members also get hotel discounts, discounted trip planning services, and more. Plans start at less than $6 per month. Membership is charged annually.
How does roadside assistance work?
Requesting Roadside Assistance
Different companies will offer different ways to contact roadside assistance, including by phone, text message, or app. Your contact options will depend on your provider. If you don’t have a roadside assistance plan, you can call a mechanic or towing company and pay out of pocket for assistance.
Plans and Fees
Roadside assistance is typically offered by car manufacturers and insurance companies, with some offering roadside help as a separate membership plan. AAA Roadside Memberships, for example, cover any vehicle—whether you’re the driver or the passenger.
The cost of roadside assistance varies by plan and provider, and can range based on the provider, requested service, and other factors like towing distance. Some roadside assistance carriers cover the entire cost of select services, while others require a co-pay or fee.
Depending on your plan, you may be able to add other drivers, like your spouse or teenage child, to your roadside assistance for an additional cost. That way, your loved ones are covered wherever the road takes them.
Roadside Assistance Services
Most roadside assistance providers offer:
- Free towing to the nearest repair shop or gas station
- Flat tire changes
- Dead battery jump starts
- Emergency fuel delivery
- Car lockout services
- Spare tire installation
Some roadside assistance providers also offer :
- Towing to your destination of choice
- Testing, delivering, and installing a new car battery
- Winching (to extract a car that’s in a ditch or stuck in mud).
- RV, motorcycle, and bicycle towing
- Minor mechanical repairs that do not require parts or supplies
Contact Roadside Assistance Whenever You Need
Roadside assistance is there when you need it most. Once a technician has been dispatched, they will come to your destination, provide roadside service, and get you back on the road.
In the event the technician cannot get your car back on the road, you can have your car towed. Depending on your plan and provider, towing distance and additional fees may vary.
Different providers also have different limits on how many roadside requests are included in your plan. For example, AAA Membership includes four service calls per year. Limits may also vary by provider.
Explore Roadside Plans