TULSA, Okla. — Mechanics have been busy making sure drivers are ready if they have to get out in the bitter cold Thursday.
AAA Oklahoma is also preparing to assist thousands of drivers over the next few days.
“Especially with the holiday coming up with people wanting to get out of town, we normally get really busy before holidays,” said Jerry Kaminski, longtime owner of Cartec Automotive Services.
“Things have changed an awful lot."
He says normally the more modern the car, the fewer problems in the cold.
“Back when we had carburetors on cars there were a lot more problems on the cold mornings trying to get them to start and keep them running,” Kaminski said.
There are a few things he said every driver needs to do before heading out on the road.
“We’ve been checking antifreeze and tires and we have been doing some battery testing just to make sure our customers are going to be good to go for the rest of the week,” he said.
He says you need to have your car battery checked along with the tire pressure on your car. AAA Oklahoma says vehicles with car batteries 3 years or older are most vulnerable during this extreme cold.
“When temperatures are below freezing car batteries use 30% more power and they’re even more likely to fail than normal,” said AAA Oklahoma spokesperson Leslie Gamble.
Gamble said between Dec. 23-31 last year, they helped 7,670 stranded drivers. With even colder conditions this year, they expect to help even more drivers.
“It can be in these kind of cold temperatures a matter of life and death,” Gamble said.
Gamble says when you’re traveling you should have a charged cell phone and a car charger. Also, have someone who can come get you wherever you are if your car stops working. You should also have blankets or an extra set of warm clothes as well.
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“The biggest threat is going to be having a breakdown somewhere and not having someone come rescue you quickly,” Gamble said.
Gamble also suggests having reflective clothing in your car, just in case you do have to get out on the road.
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