ÖAMTC retrieves 150 breakdown cars from abroad each summer

With holiday traffic building ahead of the end of the school holidays, drivers whose cars break down abroad may have to wait up to two weeks for their vehicles to be returned, ORF reports. The ÖAMTC automobile club’s Vorarlberg branch brings back about 150 members’ cars every July and August, mainly from Italy, France, Germany and Switzerland.

The vehicles are collected on scheduled group trips. “The ÖAMTC has special low-loaders that can carry five or six vehicles,” said Dominik Tschohl of ÖAMTC Vorarlberg. The trucks travel year-round, gathering vehicles along the way.

Because the trips are planned together and cover holiday regions in several countries, recovery can take up to 12 calendar days in Central Europe. Vehicles stranded within Austria are usually returned after about five days.

To avoid a breakdown, the club advises drivers to have their vehicles thoroughly checked several days before setting off. This allows time to arrange a garage appointment if necessary. It also recommends adapting speed and driving cautiously to reduce the risk of an accident.