Question: My friend was driving me to dinner when her tire blew out. Can I use my AAA membership to get her towed to a tire shop, or is that against the rules?
Answer:
Your AAA membership applies to you, not your vehicle, so you’re covered even if you’re not driving your car. All you’ll need is your photo ID and AAA membership card for assistance 24 hours a day every day of the year.
AAA’s Member Guide from July 2023 says:
- Membership covers you whether you’re the driver or passenger in a car.
- To get emergency roadside assistance, you must be with the vehicle at the time of breakdown and service.
- When the AAA representative arrives, you must present your AAA membership card and driver’s license or other government-approved ID.
- If a valid membership card and photo identification are not presented at the time of service, you will be required to pay for the service.
- The disabled vehicle must be a licensed and registered four-wheel motor-driven passenger vehicle.
What else AAA can do for you
Depending on the level of service you have signed up for, different limits apply. If your vehicle is a motorcycle, RV, camper, boat trailer or motorhome, you can get assistance with the appropriate tier of service.
Towing
- Towing is included in all memberships, with increased covered mileage in Plus or Premier memberships.
- Classic membership covers five miles, Plus covers up to 100 miles and Premier covers up to 200 miles.
- Towing service cannot be used for impound lot transport, vehicle relocation for purchase, sale, renovation, auction, transaction, car show exhibition or charitable donation.
Mobile battery service
- AAA will come to your location to jump-start your car and test your battery.
- Immediate battery replacement is offered if needed and includes a three-year free limited replacement warranty on new batteries.
- Generally available 6 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Fuel delivery service
- AAA will deliver enough gas so you can get to the closest service station.
- Delivery of diesel is not covered.
Locksmith services
- Available 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. in most areas for most vehicles.
Extrication
- A service truck will try to free your vehicle if you are stuck.
- If your vehicle needs to be lifted to clear obstacles, it is deemed a “recovery,” which is not covered.
Xuyun Zeng is a content strategist with a wide-ranging content background including tech, journalism, cars and health care. After graduating with highest honors in journalism, Xuyun led a newspaper to win eight awards, helped start an award-winning film industry podcast and has written over a hundred articles about cars repair, state laws and insurance. Prior to joining Jerry, Xuyun worked as a freelance SEO consultant with a mission to create the best content that will help readers and grow organic traffic.
Phil Metzger is a personal finance editor and writer with more than 30 years of experience editing and writing content across a variety of industries. In writing and editing for Jerry, Phil’s mission is to help car owners better understand their vehicles and the costs associated with car ownership. Before joining Jerry, Phil worked as a writer and editor for newspapers, magazines, television radio and online news. His work has appeared in many major publications and websites over the years, including a series he edited that was a finalist for a Pulitzer Prize.
