The cold weather that is gripping the First State can take a toll on cars.
And AAA Mid-Atlantic has some tips on how to weather the frigid weather:
Cars have to work a lot harder when it’s this cold - especially the battery.
“The battery tends to drain power in colder temperatures and it needs….your car actually needs more power to get started because of the cold temperatures. So that’s reason enough to go ahead and get your battery checked, especially if it’s more than 3 years old, you really want to get it checked out just to make sure that it’s fully charged or if it needs replacing that you take care of that,” said AAA Mid-Atlantic spokesman Ken Grant.
Grant says you should also make sure your tires are properly inflated. He says a “cold weather pressure” is typically posted on a sticker inside the drivers’ door.
Grant adds drivers should also have a cold weather emergency kit that includes a fully-charged cell phone, an extra charger, an extra coat, gloves, hats and a blanket and a shovel, ice scraper and de-icer.
Grant points out AAA Mid-Atlantic always sees an increase in calls this time of year when temperatures plummet.
“Traditionally and we’re looking at not just a matter of the cold weather but also holiday time; which means some people just aren’t using their cars because they’re spending time hanging out with their friends and family at their place. So, the car may sit there in the cold temperatures for sometimes days on end,” said Grant.
Grant says AAA typically sees a 20 to 30, sometimes as high as a 40-percent increase in cold weather calls.
