CAA recommending battery checks, greater following distance in cold
CAA Niagara has had a busy few weeks as weather- related calls have been pouring in.
Alex Pedersen, public relations coordinator with the automobile association, said over the holidays and into the new year when it was particularly cold, CAA received double the amount of calls than normal.
She said 7,000 calls came in between Christmas and Jan. 7.
Over that same two- week period, Pedersen said, CAA Niagara installed 600 batteries in cars.
For Monday, she said a total of 400 calls were expected to have come in, which is 30 per cent higher than usual.
Of the calls received during at this time of the year, especially when temperatures dip really low, the vast majority to come in are batteryrelated or involve people having slid off the road, she said.
She said cold temperatures that are wreaking havoc on vehicle batteries. CAA recommends motorists make sure their vehicles have undergone regular maintenance, which includes checking battery life.
On Monday in particular, she said, so many calls were coming in because it was back to school for elementary and high school students after the winter holidays, meaning more traffic on the snow- covered roads.
CAA Niagara prepares and schedules its staff based on both weather and an area that might need servicing, she said.
She suggested drivers allow for extra travel time during poor weather, keep up with regular vehicle maintenance and park in a garage if possible.
Another tip is to increase following distance — normally about four seconds — to eight to 10 seconds while driving in poor weather conditions to allow for more time to stop.
Emergency kits for vehicles are also beneficial. Items Pedersen recommended for a kit include a flashlight, blanket, first aid, a snow brush and a shovel.