Roadside assistance and coverage of damage is a service that helps motorists, or cyclists, whose vehicles have mechanical damage that keeps operators stranded.
Video Roadside assistance
Histori
Early riders are often able to make small improvements themselves, but as the car becomes more complicated, it becomes more difficult to succeed. Some early local automotive clubs tried to support their members by encouraging them to help each other. A number of members who will help other members are saved and in some cases, cash is set aside to rent a tow vehicle if necessary.
In the UK, The RAC (former associate of The Royal Automobile Club) and The Automobile Association (AA) (formed in 1905) offer repair services to its members on-site, drawn to a local garage or driver's house if near (20 mile limit normally) some cases provide further travel services such as renting a vehicle.
The Allgemeiner Deutscher Automobil-Club in Germany began offering similar services in 1927. The American Automobile Association (AAA) was formed in 1902 and later joined the Canadian company, the Canadian Automobile Association (CAA). Many of these associations are club-based memberships and provide services to assist members through the use of fleet aid vehicles. In the case of AA England, these were traditionally installed on motorcycles prior to the introduction of the van.
When communication technology and availability make it practical, emergency telephone box networks, placed at roadside intervals, are introduced in several countries. In recent years, extensive mobile phone ownership has, to a large extent, replaced the need for emergency telephone networks. Mobile technology has led to the development of free apps (apps).
Maps Roadside assistance
Terms of service
In some areas, especially in Europe, there are government-sponsored car membership associations or membership granted, and services may be in the form of an insurance policy with a premium, not a member's subscription fee.
Services may also be available as part of the services of the vehicle insurance company, or other companies whose main business is offering such assistance, such as AAA in America or AA in the UK.
Some car manufacturers also offer roadside assistance to their customers, sometimes free for some periods after the purchase of a new vehicle.
Help
The cover details can include jumping over the car, diagnosing and fixing problems that cause damage, pulling vehicles, helping to replace a flat tire, providing a small amount of fuel when the vehicle runs out, pulling out vehicles stuck in the snow or helping people locked out of their cars.
United States
In the United States, many states and their Department of Transportation have organized Government-run Railway Patrols, or the Highway Security Patrol, to keep traffic moving and assist with road emergencies if required. Though not law enforcement personnel, these people provide free services to motorists who are in distress, and safe lanes of traffic, provide emergency medical assistance, ask for tow trucks for vehicles in uncomfortable or dangerous locations, remove debris from roads after an accident, and resolving minor problems with defective vehicles, such as a flat tire, jumpstarts, or pushing a defective vehicle out of the way. Many of these patrols work directly with the State Police Department and Highway Operations in their country, and respond to assistance when a citizen calls 911 for a small roadside assistance task.
See also
- Breakdown (vehicle)
- Car security
- Motorcycle club
- Vehicle Restoration
- RAC
- AA
- Green Flag
References
Source of the article : Wikipedia