The History of Roadside Assistance and Towing

 

 

The origins of roadside assistance and towing can be traced back to the early days of the automobile. In those days, if a vehicle broke down, the only way to get it back on the road was to push it or pull it to a nearby garage. This was often a difficult and dangerous task, especially if the vehicle was large or heavy.

 

As cars became more common, so did the need for a better way to deal with broken-down vehicles. In 1916, the American Automobile Association (AAA) began offering emergency roadside assistance to its members. This service was originally intended to help stranded motorists with things like flat tires and running out of gas.

 

In the years since, AAA and other organizations have continued to expand their roadside assistance services. Today, these services can include everything from emergency fuel delivery to battery jump-starts to winching services. And, of course, towing.

 

Towing services have come a long way since those early days, too. The first tow trucks were little more than modified pickup trucks with a pulley system for pulling vehicles. Today, there are all sorts of specialized tow trucks designed for different types of vehicles and situations.

 

Whether you need emergency roadside assistance or towing, there's a service out there that can help. And chances are, they have a long and interesting history.