A holiday rescue on this famed U.S. highway was enough to convince a CAA Member of the value of joining the auto club.

No matter how far from home you happen to be, CAA is there for you. Just ask Chris Hayes, a decade-long Member who’s used it more than a few times over the past several years – even once while on holiday in the United States.

“Years ago, we were driving our RV to Florida from Ontario on Route 66,” says Chris. “Crossing from I-81 to I-95, our rear tire blew with such a force that some of the shredded tire ripped the propane line out of the stove… fortunately, we had the bottles turned off.”

But unfortunately, the accident happened on the Fourth of July and Chris knew that many garages would be closed for Independence Day. Uncertain of his next move, he called CAA, hoping they could help him find an open garage at the very least. To his relief, CAA sent help instead, and an hour later an AAA tow truck arrived to the rescue.

After having their tire changed, the Hayes family were on their way to enjoy the rest of their vacation. “I have very rarely needed to call upon my CAA emergency service, but the very few times I have it has made life so much easier,” Chris says.

For the Hayes family, a CAA Membership offers the peace-of-mind of knowing that help is always there when you need it. “The moral of our story is, you may not need CAA often, but when you do, it sure can be a lifesaver!”

“The moral of our story is, you may not need CAA often, but when you do, it sure can be a lifesaver!” - Chris Hayes, CAA Member since 2011

For Cameron, a CAA card isn’t just a piece of plastic that sits in your wallet to be used only on the rare occasion you need it. It offers peace-of-mind each and every time you’re in a car, anywhere in Canada.

When it comes to driving long distances, a CAA Membership is a small price to pay for peace of mind – just ask CAA Premier Member Cameron Clark. The Ottawa native and third-year engineering student at Nova Scotia’s Acadia University was making his way back to the east coast for school recently when he learned the true value of being a CAA Member.

It was the start of the fall semester and Cameron and his friend, fellow student Andrew Best (also of Ottawa), were driving back to Nova Scotia after a summer spent at home in Ontario. They’d done the 16-hour trek a handful times, and decided to leave a bit earlier – anticipating delays due to interprovincial COVID19 travel regulations and construction along their route.

As they made their way across Quebec, hunger pangs struck – so the boys stopped in at McDonalds to grab a bite. They had just ordered from the touchscreens and sat down, about to tuck in, when it dawned on Andrew that the keys to his car weren’t on him. “There we were in the middle of nowhere in Quebec, far from anyone we know that could’ve helped us, and no one around us could speak English,” says Cameron.

Andrew quickly realized that the keys weren’t lost, just locked in the vehicle. But how were they going to get help when neither of them could speak French well? “It wouldn’t have been easy to find a locksmith in such a small town, let alone in a different language,” he says.

Fortunately, Cameron could rely on his CAA Premier Membership. “I wasn’t sure at first if they could help, since we were in a different province and nowhere close to a city, but I thought it was worth a try,” he explains. “So I called and was surprised when the agent said ‘no problem’… she was very friendly.”

The agent reassured Cameron that help was on the way; she was dispatching a CAA Emergency Roadside Service vehicle and it would be there in 40 minutes or less. “The CAA truck came in 15 minutes,” Cameron remembers. “The (technician) couldn’t speak much English but his smile spoke for him. He took out his tools, messed around with it for a bit, and five minutes later we were back out on the road continuing our trip.”

For Cameron, a CAA card isn’t just a piece of plastic that sits in your wallet to be used only on the rare occasion you need it. It offers peace-of-mind each and every time you’re in a car, anywhere in Canada (and the United States)…and even if you’re just the passenger. That’s because CAA covers the Member, and not just their car.

“It was lunch time when this happened, but it could have happened anytime, anywhere… a CAA Membership is totally worth it.” - Cameron

I was heading home on Sept. 3, 2019, after my volunteer shift at the Ottawa Food Bank when I heard an awful noise coming from the passenger side just after crossing the railroad track on Michael Street.

I pulled over to investigate and found a 2 1/2 inch piece of metal speared into my rear tire along with the rest of what was attached to that piece just nearby. I couldn't believe what I saw, and this on the day before I was leaving for Waterloo. I called CAA immediately - and because I was on the side of the road, I was made a priority! Wow, after a phone conversation and a few subsequent text messages, this quiet man came to my rescue! Those text messages kept me well advised throughout my wait and made me feel like I had company sitting next to me! I've been a CAA member since 1981 and you can count on one hand how many times I've called it (and not even a full hand at that!). He replaced the speared tire with the spare tire and sent me on my way so I could get this looked at before my road trip the next day.  Thank you CAA!