AAA Tips for Frigid Weather

DEARBORN, Mich., Jan. 2, 2008 -- Preparing now for the frigid temperatures predicted over the next few days will help keep your vehicle on the road, advises AAA Michigan.

As of 4 p.m. today (Jan. 2) AAA's Emergency Road Service has assisted more than 4,149 motorists since midnight and call volumes are expect to remain high due to cold temperatures, and snowy conditions. On January 1, nearly 4,820 motorists were assisted across the state, with common calls for help including dead batteries and spin-outs due to snow-covered and slick roadways.

  Motorists can help keep their vehicles on the road by doing the following:

  * Faulty batteries cause more car starting problems than any other factor.
    At 0 degrees, a battery has 35 percent less starting power than in
    summer.  At minus 20, battery power drops 50 percent. If your battery is
    more than three years old, have a load test performed by a mechanic.

  * Park your car in the garage. If you have no garage, put a tarp over the
    hood or park protected from prevailing winds. To keep doors from
    freezing shut, place a plastic trash bag between the door or window
    glass and the frame.

  * Keep the fuel tank at least half-full to avoid fuel-line freeze-up.

  * To avoid frozen door locks, buy a lubricant available in most auto
    supply stores. If your lock freezes, heat your key with a pocket lighter
    but remember to wear gloves or hold the key with pliers. Or, fill a
    plastic jug with hot water. Hold it against the door panel or lock area.
    Do not throw hot water on the car. It, too, will freeze and you run the
    risk of cracking glass.

  * If you become snowbound, stay with your vehicle. It provides excellent
    shelter from the cold and makes it easier for rescuers to locate you. If
    you can start your engine, run it only enough to keep warm. Make sure
    the exhaust pipe is snow-free. Keep emergency supplies in the car, such
    as a cell phone, boots, hats, gloves, blankets, a "coffee can heater",
    flashlight and reflective triangle.

AAA and the Michigan Towing Association remind motorists to give tow truck operators a "brake." They're there to help you. Drive with care when a tow truck's there.

AAA Michigan offers automotive, travel, insurance and financial services to more than 1.6 million members in Michigan. It is part of The Auto Club Group (ACG), the largest affiliation of AAA clubs in the Midwest, with approximately 4.1 million members in eight states. ACG belongs to the national AAA federation, a not-for-profit organization with more than 49 million members in the United States and Canada.