Buffalo, NY (WBEN) The high cost of gas and pain at the pump is leaving some drivers stranded along the side of the road as they try to stretch their tanks as long as possible and avoid that painful transaction.
While AAA reports nationally a 60% increase in roadside assistance calls because of drivers running out of fuel, Western New York drivers don't seem to be following that trend in 'running on empty'.
The number of calls to the AAA in the western and central New York region is up less than half a percent.
Elizabeth Carey of AAA in Buffalo says there's been a slight uptick in calls because a driver ran out of fuel, from .9% in May 2021 to 1.3% in May 2022. Carey says part of the reason is WNY drivers know better. "We're so used to snow storms and more in Western New York, that people don't let their tank get to zero because we know what it's like to be stranded on the side of the road," says Carey. Another reason she believes may be that people are calling for other things that are wrong with their vehicle. She says that may be because people slacked off on car maintenance during the pandemic.
Carey says it can be challenging to get a truck to a driver. "There's a labor shortage right now, and a lot of people are calling for dead batteries, especially with the heat right now," says Carey, who adds hot weather is just as rough on batteries as cold weather.
Carey warns drivers to not rely on some dashboard information. "AAA research has showed that more and more drivers are relying on their notification on their dashboard and miles to empty. But just a reminder, sometimes that's not always accurate," notes Carey. 74% of drivers are saying they wait and use that miles to empty display when they're low on gas, according to AAA. But Carey says rely on the rule of thumb of filling up when the tank is half full.
If you do call AAA because you run out of gas, Carey says it won't necessarily be free. Basic members get free delivery but pay for fuel. Plus and Premier members get free delivery and enough fuel to reach the nearest station.
The average price for a gallon of gas in WNY is $4.91 as of Thursday.
