COLUMBUS (WCMH) — AAA is off to a busy Monday, as of noon, they have received more than 500 calls asking for roadside assistance.
Last winter, AAA responded to more than 312,000 calls for roadside assistance in Ohio and in the past couple of weeks, roadside assistance has been up about 30-40%.
As you get ready to hit the roads today and tomorrow, they want to remind you to keep up with routine maintenance of your vehicle and keep some things inside as well in case you get stuck.
Tips and Suggestions from AAA are listed below:
· Battery: While there’s not a lot you can do to prevent your battery from dying, if it’s 3 years old or older, you can have your technician check it. If your car has been sitting for extended periods, you can also take your car out for a 10–15-minute drive a few times a week to charge the battery.
· Tires: Check your tire pressure and tread dept. Make sure the tire pressure matches the sticker on the driver’s side doorjamb and that the tread depth is above the wear bar indicators marked on the tires.
· Windshield Washer Fluid: Make sure you have plenty of windshield washer fluid rated down to at least -20 degrees, to ensure you can clear your windshield in the cold.
· Frozen Doors: Keep a can of lock deicer handy (in a safe place outside your vehicle) in case you come out to your car and the doors are frozen shut.
· Emergency Kit: Remember to have an emergency kit in your vehicle with items like jumper cables, an ice scraper, a simple tool kit, a first-aid kit, a flashlight and extra batteries, a mobile phone charger (so you can call for help), extra blankets and warm clothes, road reflectors or lights (to ensure people can see you if you are broken down on the side of the road), and a shovel (to shovel the snow away from your tailpipe). Also bring with you water and snacks for everyone in the car and PPE, such as masks, gloves or plastic bags, hand sanitizer, and disinfectant wipes.
It’s also a good idea to start your car the night before you have to go somewhere early in the morning, so you aren’t caught off guard with any issues when they’re in a hurry. Keep in mind, it’s illegal to leave your car running unattended with keys in the ignition. If you’re caught doing that, it carries a $150 fine.