The ANWB received a remarkable number of breakdown reports from this country this summer vacation

Vacations northward

The summer vacations are officially over and the ANWB has taken stock. What stood out this year? Especially the increase in the number of breakdown reports in Switzerland and Scandinavia (Norway, Sweden, Denmark). So it seems that more and more Dutch people seek the coolness of summer instead of the burning sun. This is in line with the decrease in reports from Southern Europe: France (-7%), Germany (-5%), Italy (-9%), Belgium (-4%) and Spain (-3%).

Still peak days

Although the total number of calls decreased by about 5%, the Emergency Center still experienced peak days with as many as 15,000 calls. The most common breakdowns were familiar: dashboard lights suddenly lighting up, starting problems, flat tires, loss of power and flat batteries. Thanks to the presence of 28 Dutch Wegenwachten abroad, more vehicles could be helped immediately on the spot than in 2024: over 2,100 repairs compared to 1,550 a year earlier.

The PhoneFix service also once again proved its worth. More than 6,000 motorists were able to continue their journey after receiving telephone advice from an ANWB specialist. Those who could not continue their journey were often offered a rental car – more than 6,000 times in total.

People’s aid just busier

Whereas the number of technical assistance requests decreased, the number of medical reports actually increased by 5%. Abdominal complaints, ear infections and fever were the main causes. Turkey, Spain and France led the list, followed by Greece and Germany. Interestingly, Greece bumped Italy out of the top five this year.

Reports also came in from outside Europe. Turkey remained in the lead, followed by Morocco, Indonesia, Thailand and Egypt. The United States completely disappeared from the top five – a sign that Dutch travelers were spending their summer vacations elsewhere.

Also see: Summer vacation with electric Audi A6 e-tron – 1300 kilometers ROADTRIP