AAA Washington anticipates making more than 14,500 roadside rescues during the end-of-year holiday travel season, with more than 5,000 of those calls requiring a vehicle tow. Other car troubles most likely to interfere with holiday plans include dead batteries, lockouts and flat tires.
To avoid a kink in your holiday plans, AAA Washington recommends drivers take their vehicle to a trusted repair facility to perform any needed maintenance before heading out. An oil change, check of belts and fluid levels, battery tests and tire inspections now go a long way toward reducing the chances of a breakdown.
Be Prepared for Winter Driving
According to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, 46 percent of all crashes involving bad weather happen during winter. AAA Washington encourages drivers to be vigilant when hitting the road this holiday season and prepare for an emergency by carrying a winter driving kit stocked with:
· A mobile phone, phone charger and extra battery
· First-aid kit
· Flashlight and extra batteries
· Basic toolkit
· Warning flares
· Ice scraper
· Jumper cables
· Shovel
· Sand or kitty litter for traction on snow
· Blankets
· Drinking water and snacks for every person or pet in the vehicle
Additional information is available through the company’s stores in Washington and northern Idaho, at www.AAA.com, or by calling 1-800-562-2582.
