PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — People have been using their vehicles far less during the COVID-19 pandemic.
With the arrival of warmer weather, more people are starting to head back out onto the highways. But before you join them, AAA Mid-Atlantic says you should make sure your car is road-ready.
“With kids being at home from school and most of us teleworking, we just weren’t driving the way we typically did,” said Jana Tidwell, AAA Mid-Atlantic manager of government and public affairs. “Therefore, we weren’t performing the regular routine maintenance that we typically do on our vehicles.”
In addition to basic oil changes and fluids checks, motorists should also inspect the battery. Not driving your vehicle regularly, Tidwell said, actually drains it.
“You’re not conserving the battery by not driving your vehicle,” she said. “So when a battery typically lasts three to five years, AAA is seeing car batteries die just short of a year or just over a year.”
Check the tires too — and keep one important item ready, just in case.
“Temperature has a dramatic effect on tire pressure,” she said. “You want to make sure you have a spare tire in your car — period. Most manufacturers are no longer supplying a spare tire because they want to lighten the load and increase fuel economy in your vehicle.”
It’s important to look under the hood as well: “Nobody pays attention to their engine and the coolant and the thermostat and the pumps and all of that,” Tidwell added.
According to AAA, 70% of travelers said they are ready to travel again, the majority of which by car. Preventive maintenance before you go can mean the difference between an uneventful trip or a breakdown that leaves you stranded.
“Take the time to have your vehicle thoroughly checked out to make sure that all of those components are road trip-ready.”
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