Roadside assistance

In the UK, RAC (a former associate of the Royal Automobile Club) and The Automobile Association (AA) (formed in 1905) offer repair services to their members on the spot, tow to a local garage or the driver's home if nearby (a limit of 20 miles commonly) and in some cases provide onward journey services such as hire vehicles.

In the Netherlands, a Wegenwacht (road watch) of the Royal Dutch Touring Club (ANWB) started operating only in 1946, because World War II intervened.

In the U.S., the American Automobile Association started the first roadside assistance service in April 1915, when five motorcyclists working for the Automobile Club of St. Louis founded the “First Aid Corps.” The group drove through the city’s streets on Sundays looking for stranded motorists, making minor engine and tire repairs for free, for members and nonmembers alike.

When communication technology and availability made it practical, a network of emergency phone boxes, placed at intervals by the roadside, was introduced in some countries.

[3] [4] In some areas, especially in Europe, there is a government-sponsored or sanctioned automobile membership association, and the service may be in the form of an insurance policy with premiums, instead of a member subscription fee.