There’s Free Roadside Service in Most States — and Hardly Anyone Knows It Exists

We won’t go into the whole “Joe ran out of gas” story because we’ve all done it at one time or another. (My time was when I was in college, on the Goethals Bridge, which is one of the three bridges connecting New Jersey with Staten Island, NY. It had two lanes in each direction. Good times.)

But anyway, we have AAA and we called to get assistance. While I was on hold with the AAA lady, a HERO (Highway Emergency Response Operator) pulled up behind us. The guy gave us a gallon of gas and poof, and our problem was solved. For free, no less.

State-Run Roadside Help You Probably Didn’t Know About

But it brought up a very interesting situation – there are indeed roadside assistance apps out there. And although you can always get roadside assistance from places like AAA, your car manufacturer, auto insurance or possibly even a credit card you have, you may or may not know that most states have emergency highway response systems set up. They’re run by the respective states’ Department of Transportation (DOT) and are available to help motorists who are stranded on the side of the highway with simple stuff – a flat tire, running out of gas, etc. Their services are free, and they’re available because stopped cars cause rubberneckers to slow down and look at those who are stuck (plus there are potentially dangerous situations for those who are the “stuckees” – you see what I did there?), which slows traffic. Helping those in need helps speed up traffic and get motorists safely on their way.

But even if you know to look, try to find the number for the highway emergency people when you’re in another state, nowhere near home, you’re upset cuz your car is dead on a highway, and you need the number NOW (because it’s 90 degrees and humid and of course your car didn’t stop in the shade)! Because you’d think they all use the same number, right? Nope! I mean, for Florida, you have to dial *FHP (Florida Highway Patrol) to get them. For Georgia, had I known they had a system set up, I’d have to know to call 511. Meanwhile, Kansas’s number is *KTA, a whole slew of states tell you to use 911 (some don’t, in an attempt to keep 911’s operators limited to emergencies), and one state doesn’t give you a number…they just say they’ll find you (that’s so comforting, isn’t it?).

How To Find Your State’s Free Highway Help

So, just in case you ever need it, here are the links and phone numbers of state-sponsored emergency highway assistance for the 36 states that I could find that have such a service (if you know of such a service for any of the 14 other states [and Washington D.C.] and my Google-fu was off, please send me info/URL so I can update. Thanks!).

Heads up that days and times of availability vary from state to state, as does which highways are covered and which are not. Although one or two have service in the middle of the night, most don’t, and some don’t even offer weekend service. Anyway, days/times are usually in the respective links.