Common Roadside Callouts 2025

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics' latest transport census, more than half of Australians drove themselves to work in a car on the day of the census. [1]

So it’s safe to say that Australians spend a lot of time on the road. Whether it’s heading on a road trip or commuting to work from day to day, driving is a regular part of most Australians’ day. 

Budget Direct has been helping Australians get back on the road since 2004 and has assisted in over 118,000 roadside jobs performed in the last year alone.

And from that data, we can share some common trends amongst our roadside callouts.

In the last year, nearly 17% (16.6%) of average monthly callouts were on a Monday, at the beginning of the week.  This was followed by the average number of callouts on Tuesday (15.3%) and Thursday (15.1%). 

The smallest number of average monthly callouts was on Sunday at the end of the week. 

These results are consistent with previous data from 2021. However, roadside callouts on Friday decreased slightly compared to previous data. 

More than 40% of roadside callouts were battery-related in the past year. 

This was followed by almost 24% of callouts for towing, 12% for flat tyres. 

In our most recent survey on Roadside Assistance, nearly 50% of Australian respondents were unable to drive the car they were travelling in due to a flat battery.  While more than 25% of respondents said they last replaced their car battery 1-2 years ago. [2]

In the same survey results, a third of respondents were unable to drive their car due to a breakdown or a flat tyre. [2]

The most common roadside callout across all states was for battery-related issues . This was followed by towing callouts and advice-only callouts.

In our most recent survey on Roadside Assistance, respondents from Western Australia were most likely to have a flat battery. [2]

While nearly 38% of respondents from New South Wales had a flat tyre. [2]

More than 11% of respondents from Victoria have been out of fuel, leading to their car being undriveable. [2]

Meanwhile, nearly 12% of respondents from Western Australia were locked out of their cars. [2]

You are far more likely to avoid roadside callouts by committing to regular vehicle maintenance, conducting thorough inspections, and keeping up-to-date records of your service history.

You can start by pumping all tyres to meet their recommended air pressures. If you need to change a car tyre, make sure you have a spare tyre handy.

Your spare should still be in good condition and pumped to the right air pressure.

You can also check for tread wear using a tread wear indicator (TWI). It’s a small bar found on every tyre next to the letters “TWI”. Once the tyres are level with “TWI” this means the tyres have been worn down and should be replaced.

A car battery can last from 1-5 years, depending on its condition. [3]

However, it’s best if you go to a professional to get your battery levels checked or even replace your car battery.

If you get a logbook service, then your mechanic must follow the car maintenance and specific guidelines set by your vehicle’s manufacturer, outlined in the car’s logbook. 

During this service, your mechanic can advise on battery levels. If the battery levels are too low, then it might be time to replace your battery. If there has been extensive use of your car battery (such as running the air conditioner or heater in the car at high temperatures), then your mechanic can check the battery levels too. 

If a battery's charge is low, this does not always mean that the battery needs to be replaced, and there are other options that your mechanic can recommend. 

Keep in mind that ongoing jump-starting can weaken a battery's ability to hold a charge, which is why it's often not recommended. 

You should always check your fuel levels before a big drive and plan where you’ll stop for fuel breaks (especially on longer journeys) to prevent your car from breaking down.