MENU

Best Roadside Service is an auto club with all calls answered in the US. Get the best service at the best price with Best Roadside Service, serving consumer and commercial needs in the US and Canada since 1985!

How to Stay Safe During a Roadside Emergency

by

staysafe

If your car breaks down on the side of the road, you’ll need to know the right steps to take to stay safe. These steps are important and in some instances, can save your life.

Start by getting your car as far off of the road as you possibly can. By getting your car out of the flow of traffic you reduce the risk of someone hitting your car and causing further damage to your car, yourself and your passengers. If you can’t find a parking lot, rest area, exit, or wide shoulder, be sure to pull as far to the side of the road as you possibly can. Turn the hazard lights on for your car as well so that other cars will see that you’re stopped and hopefully slow down and be able to avoid hitting your car.

Before anyone opens a car door discuss a plan and then proceed with caution. Be especially mindful of younger children who are much less likely to be mindful of oncoming traffic.  If for any reason you can’t get your car out of the flow of traffic, remain buckled up in your seatbelt and turn on your emergency flashers. Do not allow anyone to get out of the or to unbuckle their seatbelts. Call for help on your cellphone immediately. Also, if you break down in a dangerous neighborhood or area, don’t exit your car. Remain in your car with the windows up and doors locked until a police officer arrives.

Do not get out of the car unless you’re safely off of the road and out of the main flow of traffic. It only takes a second to get hit by a car and become another statistic yourself. Do not open the car door on the traffic side of the road. Instead, open the door and exit the car on the other side of the road. If the car is on fire move safely away from the car quickly to a safe area. There are approximately 4000 pedestrian fatalities annually and 59,000 of these are from roadside emergencies. Do not set yourself or your family up to be one of these statistics.

If you can safely exit your vehicle, and you have flares or triangles set them out immediately to help prevent anyone from hitting your car. If you have a cell phone, call for help immediately. Help may be a friend, auto shop or even a tow truck. You’ll want to get your car to a safe location as quickly as possible.

Also, you should always keep a blanket (or two or three) in your car for emergencies. Car breakdowns never happen when it’s convenient so it may be winter or pouring rain when it breaks down. It’s also wise to have a first aid or medical kit in your car as well. Whether you need a band aid or something else, it’s important to have them on hand and avoid any further injury.

Additionally, having roadside assistance coverage can go a long way towards keeping you safe during a breakdown. Roadside assistance coverage allows you to remain safely in your vehicle while waiting for experienced professionals to arrive and fix the problem. Purchasing a plan through Best Roadside Service includes benefits such as towing, flat tire service, fluid top offs, and lost key and lockout service. As an added bonus, national chains including Meineke, Aamco, and Jiffy Lube offer discounts to Best Roadside Service customers for car repairs and maintenance.

Breaking down is never convenient and can be dangerous, but if you follow these steps, and have roadside assistance coverage in place for emergencies, you can significantly reduce the risk of harm to yourself, your family, and other.

How Does Roadside Assistance Work?

by

how-does-roadside-assistance-work

What would you do if your vehicle were to break down on the side of the road? You could call a friend or family member and take them away from work or wake them up in the middle of the night. Or you could start calling tow companies and pay a premium for services with long wait times. Your best option though is to purchase roadside assistance coverage to help you in case of emergencies like this.

Some auto insurance plans include roadside assistance coverage at an additional cost. It is also possible to purchase a separate policy that only covers this type of service. But be warned, your insurance provider will use every roadside call to raise your premiums. You can read The Insider Tip That Car Insurance Companies Don’t Want You To Know for more information.  Roadside coverage providers work to build relationships with service vendors in a wide coverage area, as well as vendors that provide a variety of services. In the event of a breakdown all you have to do is contact a toll-free emergency number and your provider will dispatch nearby service vendors. Emergency service providers come to your location and either perform repairs so you can be on your way or tow your car to an auto repair shop.

Service providers are dispatched as soon as you make a call. While service response time can vary, the purpose of roadside assistance is to provide you with the help you need as quickly as possible. Roadside assistance providers are available to offer help when your car needs a tow due to mechanical breakdown or crash damage. Additionally, roadside assistance providers can perform small repairs such as changing a tire or jump-starting a battery.

Roadside coverage protects you from more then just breakdowns. A roadside assistance provider can help if your vehicle gets stuck in a ditch, in the snow, or in the mud. Winching services are offered by most roadside assistance providers, but you will need to let the dispatcher know that your vehicle is stuck since more equipment might be required to get your vehicle out. Additionally, roadside coverage can help you if you lock your keys in the car or bring you some gas if you run out.

Best Roadside Service has more than 45,000 service providers nationwide and an emergency toll-free hotline, open 24 hours-a-day, 365 days-a-year in order to provide emergency towing service, battery jumpstart service, up to 3 gallons of fuel delivery (gas is free!), lock-out services and a VIP trip planning and routing services. Additionally, depending on your families needs you can choose from vehicles plans which follow the vehicle, regardless of who is driving (the perfect choice for vehicles with multiple drivers), or individual plans which follow the member, no matter what vehicle they’re in (even if they are not driving).

You will probably need roadside emergency services sooner or later. It is best to be prepared and to purchase roadside assistance coverage in case of emergencies. By preparing in advance, and knowing how your roadside coverage works, you can prevent a difficult situation from becoming even more stressful.

The Unofficial End of Summer Driving Season

by

Roadside assistance providers

Labor day, the unofficial end of summer driving season, is just a few days away. Millions of us took the “Great American Road Trip” this summer, and many of us will head out for one last road trip before the lazy days of summer fade away. The busy holiday season quickly follows Labor Day and many of us will travel to visit family. Before hitting the road, and especially if you have already put some wear on your car this summer, make sure you follow a couple of quick tips to make sure you and your vehicle are ready to go.

Preventative Maintenance

Making sure your vehicle is in good working order is a must before any road trip. Before you head out make sure that basic maintenance tasks are up to date. Refer to your vehicle’s owners-manual for basic guidelines on checking fluid levels, tire pressure, and tread depth. Follow the guidelines for having your engine oil changed; if you have a professional do it they can check your tires at the same time. Additionally, make sure your spare (if your car has one) is in good condition. If your car doesn’t have a spare (many newer cars do not) following the next step is even more important.

Prepare for the Unexpected

Unexpected emergencies often arise while traveling. Preparing in advance will save you time, money, and stress. Mechanical breakdowns, lock outs, lost keys, and accidents are all common vehicle emergencies people run into while traveling. Purchasing a roadside assistance plan ensures that you have help when you need it.

Emergency roadside assistance plans can eliminate costly tows and cover expenses for lost keys or lockouts, running out of gas, and dead batteries. Purchasing a plan through Best Roadside Service includes benefits such as fluid top offs, fuel delivery, flat tire service, and lost key and lockout service. Additionally, with a quick call to an emergency hotline all your service provider needs can be located in one place, and with the right plan fast response times will eliminate wait time. One call to Best Roadside Service will have help on the way quickly with an average response time of just 34 minutes.

Roadside assistance plans can provide more than just emergency services. Plans from Best Roadside Service offer discounts on car repairs and maintenance through national retailers including, Meineke, Aamco, and Jiffy Lube. Plans also include; Travel Concierge services to help plan your next trip and VIP discounts including savings and free upgrades at nationally known rental car companies Enterprise, National, and Thrifty.

Before heading out for any road trip making sure your and your vehicle are ready is essential. It’s also important to make sure that you take care of your vehicle after returning from a road trip. By performing a few quick preventative maintenance tasks and preparing for the unexpected you can make sure that you won’t wind up stranded during this trip or the next.

Outsourcing Your Fleet Roadside Assistance to a Third-Party Company

by

 

Commercial Fleet Roadside Assistance

As a business owner, you want your company to operate as efficiently as possible. For many business owners this means being hands-on in every aspect of their business. Sometimes the most efficient way to operate your company is to enlist a third-party to perform specific tasks.

For companies that rely on fleet vehicles, those vehicles are what keep you in business. When one of your vehicles experiences a mechanical breakdown or other emergency, your business and your revenues come to a standstill. Traditionally, companies handled fleet roadside assistance in-house leading to high fleet management costs, decreased fleet productivity, and lower profits. The best way to avoid these problems is by out-sourcing fleet roadside assistance to a trusted third-party company.

Outsourcing your fleet roadside assistance has some very important benefits including increased productivity and efficiency, reduced fleet operating costs, and reduced company risk. Utilizing a third-party company for your fleet roadside assistance streamlines the process for maintaining your company’s fleet. Experienced third-party fleet roadside assistance providers can reduce your operating costs by reducing your business’ costs for parts and other expenses. Additionally, you can reduce head count expenses and allow personnel and financial resources to concentrate on your business’ core activities. Reduced time and resources spent on fleet roadside assistance allows for significantly improved productivity and profitability for your corporation. Finally, by trusting third-party roadside assistance for your fleet, you ensure that your employees and your customers are safe and reduce the risk of exposure to your company. Trusted third-party roadside assistance companies will provide high-quality service so that you can get your fleet vehicles back on the road quickly.

Choosing the right roadside assistance provider for your fleet is just as important as making the initial decision to out-source your fleet roadside assistance needs. Best Roadside Service offers commercial and fleet roadside assistance plans that provide 24/7 coverage and rapid response times. Additionally, plans through companies like Best Roadside Service are customizable to make sure you’re meeting the specific needs of your employees and customers as well as your business. Best Roadside Service offers vehicle specific commercial roadside assistance plans that cover the vehicle rather than the driver allowing your company to assign any driver to any vehicle and still receive service at any time.

Developing a fleet management plan is a necessity when your business utilizes a commercial fleet; and deciding whether to outsource your fleet roadside assistance needs before you have a breakdown is part of that plan. Utilizing a third-party fleet roadside assistance company versus handling roadside needs in-house can help you optimize your fleet and maximize your business’ potential.

 

New Cars Need Roadside Coverage Too

by

new_car_roadside_assistance

Roadside coverage isn’t just for older model cars. Many people think a new car is more reliable and won’t break down. However, advancements in automotive technology and design come with a whole new set of problems that make roadside assistance coverage a necessity.

According to Consumer Affairs tens of millions of roadside calls required assistance in 2015 with one company alone responding to 32 million calls. Some of the most frequent calls related to automakers removing spare tires, a common design advancement in newer model vehicles. In fact, one-third of all vehicles sold come with no spare tire. Automakers have replaced the traditional spare tire with inflator kits, and equip cars with run-flat tires in an effort to maximize space and reduce vehicle weight. More storage space sounds great, however, run-flat tires and inflator kits are only effective in certain situations. As a result, drivers may need a tow in the event they get a flat. While adding a spare tire as an optional feature is one solution, covering your vehicle with a roadside assistance package will give you peace of mind and allow you to keep all that extra space.

Another advancement leaving drivers stranded is keyless ignition. Remote keys “communicate” with the vehicle whenever they are in close proximity to it. When the key is communicating with the vehicle it is prevented from entering “sleep” mode resulting in a dead battery in the key fob. Additionally, leaving a key fob in the car while it is running can lead to accidental lock-out. Dead key batteries and lock-outs can leave drivers unable to start, or access, their cars. While changing the battery according to the manufacturer’s suggested cycle may help, having roadside coverage assures aid if your key fob stops working or leaves you locked out of your car.

New car drivers aren’t just relying on technology to start their cars they are also counting on warning systems to tell them when they are low on fuel or if their tires are properly inflated. This can leave you out of gas and far from the nearest fuel station.

Purchasing roadside assistance coverage for your new (or old) vehicle eliminates provides peace of mind. Emergency roadside assistance plans cover towing, lost keys or lockouts, running out of gas, dead batteries, and all the other things that can go wrong with your car, truck, SUV, or motorcycle. Purchasing a plan through Best Roadside Service includes benefits such as fluid top offs, fuel delivery, flat tire service, and lost key and lockout service. In addition, national chains including Meineke, Aamco, and Jiffy Lube offer discounts to Best Roadside Service customers for car repairs and maintenance. Best Roadside Service offer plans for less than $80 a year, much below the average cost of a single tow, which can range from $120 and up.

Automotive technological and design advancement have greatly improved vehicle quality and safety creating very reliable cars. But like anything else utilizing technology things can unexpectedly go wrong. Roadside coverage is a necessity for when the unexpected happens.

Protecting Your New Teen Driver with A Roadside Service Plan

by

Teenage Roadside Assistance

 

You knew this day would come. From the time your child was small you imagined them reaching important milestones. Getting their driver’s license is a huge milestone for many teenagers. For parents it can be a terrifying one. Like most parents you have probably addressed dangers such as drinking and driving, texting and driving, and distracted driving with your teen, but have you put a plan in place for your teen in the event they experience an unexpected breakdown or other roadside emergency?

Roadside service plans are useful for all drivers, however, they can be especially beneficial for inexperienced, teen drivers. Roadside assistance programs can help make an inexperienced teen driver’s new responsibility much less intimidating. New and inexperienced drivers have a lot to think about between making sure they are following the rules of the road and maintaining control of their vehicle. By having a plan in place in case something goes wrong, teen drivers (and their parents) have one less thing to worry about.

Most drivers learn how to deal with car issues that come up through experience and practice. In the event of a mechanical breakdown an inexperienced teen driver may be unsure of what to do. Your teen can end up stranded along a busy highway or alone at night in an area far from help after locking their keys in the car, running out of gas, or experiencing a flat tire. Having a roadside service plan in place provides you teen with support if they ever find themselves in need of assistance.

Best Roadside Service offers a range of emergency roadside assistance plans to fit your needs and keep your teen driver protected. Plans provide 24/7 coverage anywhere in the USA and Canada, emergency towing service, battery jumpstart service, up to 3 gallons of fuel delivery (gas is free!), lock-put services and emergency personal assistance such as access to trip and routing services and a 24-Hour 800 hotline. Depending on your families needs you can choose from vehicles plans which follow the vehicle, regardless of who is driving (the perfect choice for vehicles with multiple drivers), or individual plans which follow the member, no matter what vehicle they’re in (even if they are not driving).

Roadside service plans provide teen drivers with a sense of peace by taking the worry out of what to do if something goes wrong with their vehicle. Additionally, it eases the mind of worried parents (as much as possible) that know help is available in the event of a car breakdown at any time. As your teenager reaches this important milestone make sure you put a roadside service plan in place and provide some peace of mind for you and your teen.

Preparing for Summer Motorcycle Riding Season

by

 

Motorcycle Roadside Assistance

For many motorcycle riders, winter means storing your motorcycle away while you wait for warmer temperatures and better riding conditions. Now that summer has arrived so has the time to take the bike out of storage and head back out onto the road. Before you strap on your helmet and hit the road there are some basic tips to getting your motorcycle, and you, ready to ride.

Perform Routine Maintenance

Before taking your first ride you need to make sure your motorcycle is in top shape. If you stored your motorcycle away properly for the winter it should be easy to getting it running right again. If not? You may need to be prepared to put some time and effort in to getting your bike road worthy.

Your motorcycle owner’s manual should layout the appropriate summer maintenance tasks that need attention after storing your bike. Basic tasks that need to be performed include; flushing the fuel system (if you failed to add a fuel stabilizer before storing your bike), checking and replacing air filters, inspecting tire tread and pressure, checking fluid levels, inspecting brakes, making sure your battery is charged, and inspecting all lights and cables. Performing these routine maintenance tasks helps insure that your first ride of the summer goes smoothly.

Are you Ready to Ride?

Once your motorcycle is ready to ride you need to make sure you are ready to ride as well. After a long winter driving a car you can become oblivious to motorcycle issues like visibility or road surface hazards. For relatively new riders, and for experienced riders, it may be a good idea to take a refresher course with a local motorcycle-training program. At the very least you should practice your emergency skills in a parking lot. Regardless of whether you take a refresher course or practice on your own, every rider should practice critical skills by performing some cornering and braking drills.

Be Aware of Damaged Roads and Inattentive Drivers

Even though you and your bike are ready for the summer riding season, remember that the roads may not be. Roadways take a lot of abuse during the winter. Between damage from snowplows scraping the surface and repeated freezing and thawing of snow and ice, there is the potential for surface hazards until road crews can make repairs.

Additionally, you need to remember that drivers may not be used to seeing motorcycles on the road after a long winter. You need to be extra vigilant when riding in traffic and make sure you are driving defensively.

Purchase Roadside Assistance Coverage for Emergencies

Regardless of how well you maintain your motorcycle mechanical emergencies can still happen. Having roadside assistance coverage for your motorcycle insures that you will never be left stranded on the side of the road. Best Roadside Service is one of the few TOP RATED providers of Motorcycle roadside assistance.  The motorcycle roadside assistance plans offered from Best Roadside Service  provide all the traditional roadside assistance benefits for your motorcycle including; 24/7 coverage anywhere in the USA and Canada, emergency towing service via flatbed, battery jumpstart service,  up to 3 gallons of fuel delivery ( gas is free!), and emergency personal assistance such as access to trip and routing services, VIP discounts for travel services and hotels, and concierge service to help you plan your next summer ride.

Perform these routine maintenance tasks, practice critical riding skills, and carefully evaluate road conditions before venturing out. Also, be sure to purchase a roadside plan for your motorcycle to provide you with peace of mind. By taking the time to prepare for the summer riding season you can ensure it is a safe and enjoyable one.

 

Effectively Maintain Your Commercial Fleet

by

 

commercial fleet maintenance

If you own a business that relies on commercial vehicles keeping those vehicles on the road is the backbone of your business. With delivery trucks and company cars constantly grounded for repairs your employees will be unable to complete the necessary work to keep your company running smoothly. Properly maintaining commercial vehicles means your fleet works for you to make and keep your company successful.

While commercial fleet management is not a “one size fits all” solution, there are some basic steps that will help maintain all commercial fleets regardless fleet size. Relying on the steps below will have you well on your way to keeping your fleet at maximum productivity.

Preventative Maintenance

The cornerstone of properly maintaining any vehicle, including commercial fleet vehicles, is to make sure the vehicle receives regular preventative maintenance. Regular preventative maintenance including oil and other fluid changes, tire rotations, brake service, and tune ups help prevent larger issues from arising down the road. Taking care of commercial vehicles now, ensures they’ll last for their maximum lifetime and save you business money in the long-term.

To ensure your vehicles are receiving the proper and necessary preventative maintenance, it is important to keep accurate records for each vehicle. Utilizing fleet management software allows business owners and fleet managers to get automated notifications for scheduled maintenance based on vehicle usage. Following a manufacturer’s recommendation for a particular vehicle keeps that vehicle performing optimally and ensures you do not void any applicable warranties.

Proper preventative maintenance reduces the risk of breakdowns and expensive repairs. And improve the lifespan of your fleet.

Proactive Repairs

Even with proper preventative maintenance, breakdowns and accidents can take your fleet vehicles out of commission. Your business can bounce back more quickly after an accident or breakdown when you are proactive with repairs. Advances in technology to GPS tracking and management allow you to be notified of vehicle problems while they are minor. This allows you to prevent larger issues before they happen, and can alert you to problems before your drivers even notice there’s anything wrong.

Proactive repairs also mean less time in the shop and money saved on more expensive, time-consuming repairs. Additionally, for business that outsource repairs it will be easier to schedule proactive repairs with a reputable shop and your vehicles back on the road as quickly as possible.

Depend on Drivers

Your drivers are you first line of defense in properly maintaining commercial fleet vehicles. When a vehicle starts showing signs of impending issues or a breakdown, the driver is typically the first one to notice. Keep the lines of communication open with your drivers because they will be able to let you know when their vehicle is starting to pull in one direction or another and its time for an alignment, if the A/C isn’t working properly, or if the brakes are not performing the way they should.

Good business owners and fleet managers need to develop a system that designates when and where drivers are responsible for inspecting vehicles each day and provides a method for drivers to share any maintenance issues occurring on their vehicle. All employees, including drivers, should be well-trained on how these systems work.

Roadside Assistance Coverage

Even when a company has systems in place to properly maintain its fleet vehicles, breakdowns and accidents can happen. An important component of any fleet management plan is roadside assistance coverage. Commercial and fleet roadside service plans provide 24/7 coverage and rapid response times which help get your fleet vehicles to a repair shop and back on the road quickly. Bouncing back quickly after a breakdown or accident minimizes lost productivity, repair and downtime costs, and lost revenues.

Additionally, plans through companies like Best Roadside Service are customizable to make sure you’re meeting the specific needs of your employees and customers as well as your business. This allows you to more efficiently schedule preventative maintenance and proactive repairs while considering the individualized needs of your business and fleet.

Don’t wait for your vehicles to break down before you decide start thinking about fleet maintenance. Develop a fleet management plan before you need it, and use preventative maintenance, proactive repairs, dependable drivers, and roadside assistance service coverage to keep your commercial vehicles running and your business operating smoothly.

Summer Travel Season and Roadside Assistance

by

 

Roadside Assistance

Memorial day weekend marks the unofficial start of summer. This year, prompted by the lowest gas prices in more than a decade, tens of millions of people will embark on the traditional American road trip and head for theme parks, the beach, and other destinations across the country. According to the U.S Travel Association, travelers will spend more than $12 billion over Memorial Day weekend alone with the majority being spent by those driving. Budgeting for roadside assistance coverage is crucial to ensuring your summer road trip results in memories that last a lifetime for all the right reasons.

 

The last thing you want to deal with on vacation is time wasted dealing with “car problems.” Mechanical breakdowns, lock outs, lost keys, and accidents result in wasted time and wasted money. Time you could have spent with your family is wasted calling to locate service providers and waiting for assistance to arrive. Additionally, calling a local tow company or automotive service center can be expensive. According to carhelper.com the cost for tow can easily top $100; and this doesn’t cover any of the costs for the actual repair.

 

Budgeting for a roadside assistance plan can eliminate unnecessary expenses. Emergency roadside assistance plans can eliminate costly tows and cover expenses for lost keys or lockouts, running out of gas, and dead batteries. Purchasing a plan through Best Roadside Service includes benefits such as fluid top offs, fuel delivery, flat tire service, and lost key and lockout service. In addition, national chains including Meineke, Aamco, and Jiffy Lube offer discounts to Best Roadside Service customers for car repairs and maintenance.

 

Roadside assistance plans also eliminate wasted time. With a quick call to an emergency hotline all your service provider needs can be located in one place, and with the right plan fast response times will eliminate wait time. One call to Best Roadside Service will have help on the way quickly with an average response time of just 34 minutes, getting you back to your life as quickly as possible and allowing you more time to spend with family and friends.

 

The summer road trip can be one of the best vacations you will ever take. With gas prices lower than they have been in years the summer road trip has also become one of the most affordable options for families. Budgeting for roadside assistance coverage gives you peace of mind, and can save you time and money in the event of an emergency; getting you back on the road and and back to making memories with your family.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Roadside Assistance and the Importance of Response Times

by

roadside assistance

Roadside assistance plans and providers are not one-size fits all. When choosing a roadside plan that is right right for you and your family, or your business, you need to consider more than who is driving and what vehicles need to be covered. A top factor to consider is the provider’s average response time. Knowing this information will help you choose a provider, and plan, that gives you the coverage you need when you need it.

Whether you are an individual on vacation with your family or a business owner managing a fleet of vehicles, roadside emergencies can be expensive and waste valuable time. Having a roadside service plan is the best way to minimize costs and save valuable time. However, not all roadside service plans are created equal, and some will have considerably longer response times than others. When choosing a roadside service provider, you need to consider the provider’s average response time to make sure you are getting back on the road as quickly as possible.

Average response time vary significantly depending on the service provider you choose. Response times can range from about a low of about 30 minutes to 60 minutes or more. While many elements can impact response time, the most significant determining factor is how many service response vehicles a company has in a particular area. The greater the number of service response vehicles the faster the response time.

Service-oriented roadside assistance companies will work to have as many providers and response vehicles as possible to lower average response times. Best Roadside Service has more than 45,000 service providers nationwide. Paired with a direct emergency toll-free hotline, open 24 hours-a-day and 365 days-a-year, Best Roadside Service is able to offer an average response time of just 34 minutes.

When deciding which roadside assistance program is right for you, you need to consider a multitude of factors. Price and covered benefits are important considerations. Just as important is the average response time of the company you choose. Finding a roadside assistance provider with a fast average response time will minimize costs and and get you back on the road as quickly as possible.