Best in Europe

AA Patrols win FIA European technical contest

15 November 2011

AA Patrols win FIA technical contest

Two AA patrols have come top in a European-wide competition to find the best roadside patrols on the continent.

Keith Miller from Burgess Hill, West Sussex, and Dave Freeman from Chorley, Lancashire, represented the AA and flew the flag for the UK at the FIA (Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile) Road Patrolmen Contest in Kutina, Croatia, from 8 to 10 November.

The annual competition saw patrols from ten European motoring clubs assessed on their roadside repair skills followed by a written technical exam. They were judged by technical experts from the Swiss (Touring Club Suisse) and Croatian (Hrvatski Autoklub) motoring clubs.

Keith, the AA’s patrol of the year, says: “The standard was very high and we had to overcome translation difficulties, so it’s fantastic to be judged the best in Europe. The job of a patrol is increasingly demanding as we work on any vehicle on the road – car, motorbike or commercial vehicle – so we need to maintain a high level of technical expertise.”

Keith(l) and Dave(r)

Steve Dewey, AA road operations director, says: “People join the AA because of our patrols’ ability to fix cars at the roadside, so we are delighted that they’ve been recognised for being the best – for setting the technical benchmark – not only in the UK but in Europe.

“As vehicle technology evolves, we invest heavily in the latest equipment and training to ensure our patrols continue to give the best possible service at the roadside."

Earlier this year, the AA was ranked the best breakdown provider by Which? (September 2011). The authoritative consumer group ranked the AA number one for both personal and car manufacturer-branded breakdown cover and also had the best roadside repair rate.

(15 November 2011)