Most Roadside Breakdowns Can Be Prevented With Proper Maintenance: AAA

AAA has released a study showing that most roadside breakdowns can be prevented with proper maintenance.

Last year, AAA responded to over 29-million calls for roadside assistance, with 17 million of them due to battery failure, flat tires and keys locked inside the vehicle. The company also towed over two-million vehicles for engine-related issues and an additional 600,000 vehicles for transmission failure. Over 235,000 vehicles were towed for brake system failures and AAA also had to provide gasoline delivery to more than half-a-million vehicles last year, despite most modern vehicles being equipped with low-fuel lights.

Even more telling, 35 percent of Americans surveyed skipped or delayed service or repairs that were recommended by a mechanic or specified by the factory maintenance schedule.

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AAA has released some helpful tips since more than half of its calls for roadside assistance could have been prevented with basic vehicle maintenance. For example, automotive batteries typically last three to five years, so AAA recommends drivers have their vehicle’s battery tested when it reaches three years of age and on an annual basis after to help prevent a dead battery on the side of the road.

The company also found that 60 percent of Americans do not check their tire pressures regularly. Making sure your tires are properly inflated and have adequate tread will help prevent flat tires. Additionally, it’s recommended to keep your locking lug nut key (if you have one) stored in your glove box or with the spare tire, as AAA ran into 21,000 cases last year where it could not change the tire since the key was missing.