Roadside Assistance in the Time of COVID

Jasmine knew she was in trouble.

She was traveling to New Jersey from her home in New York when she ran out of gas on the highway. Jasmine, who was with her 9-year-old son, was forced to pull over and park on the side of the road.

“Trucks were speeding past us, so I had my son get out of the car and sit down on the side of road,” she said.

Jasmine feared for their safety, as there was a small curve blocking the view of traffic coming from the highway.

“God forbid if someone didn’t see us and smashed into my car.”

Jasmine was shaken up. She had no cell phone, was unfamiliar with the area and didn’t know what she was going to do next.

That’s when Kevin showed up.

Kevin is a driver who works for the New Jersey Department of Transportation. He’s part of a program State Farm^® sponsors called the Safety Patrol. To keep drivers safe on highways across the country, State Farm partners with New Jersey and other select state departments of transportation to patrol public highways to provide limited roadside assistance for motorists. This assistance includes services like tire changes, fixing minor mechanical problems, removing debris from the road and fortunately for Jasmine and her son, providing gas when folks run out.

Within about 10 minutes of being stranded on the side of the road, the State Farm Safety Patrol truck pulled up to Jasmine’s car. It didn’t matter that Jasmine wasn’t a State Farm customer; Kevin was there to help.

“He immediately made a joke about putting my face mask on before we interacted, which actually made me laugh and relieved my nerves. He asked what was wrong and told me everything was going to be fine,” said Jasmine.

“He told a few more jokes (he could tell I was nervous) before he pulled the small can of gasoline out the side of the truck and gave me a gallon, enough to get to the nearest gas station.”

Being there when it counts

The Safety Patrols are a great example of the Good Neighbor service philosophy that State Farm is known for. The Patrols help protect lives and property and demonstrate the commitment State Farm has to keeping motorists safe and helping people recover from the unexpected.

The program is close to a decade old, during which time the Patrols have helped countless motorists, regardless of whether or not they are State Farm customers.  

“State Farm feels strongly about keeping all passengers safe," said Joe Spicer, Vice President Agency-Sales, “from the infant car seat to the driver’s seat.”

Jasmine’s experience with Kevin and the State Farm Safety Patrol was a positive one, and she was deeply thankful for the assistance.

“I asked if I could give him money for the gas he used to fill up my car or offer a tip. He refused. He said ‘that's my job.’ What an angel!"

Kevin wasn’t the only one who made a good impression that day, according to Jasmine.

 “I just might switch my car and life insurance to State Farm based on this experience," she said. “To come to someone's rescue during a time of need is a memorable moment. Your logo and branding will forever be associated by this pleasant experience. Good job!”

• Learn more about the Safety Patrol.
• Have your own Safety Patrol story to tell? Let us know!
• Check this collection of safe driving tips from Simple Insights^®