Calls kept increasing on Wednesday afternoon in the Mid-Atlantic Region.
Towson, Md (KM). The recent snow storm saw AAA Mid-Atlantic rescue a large number of stranded motorists. The auto club says as of 4:00 PM on Wednesday, it provided road service to 2300 motorists throughout Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Delaware and the District of Columbia. That’s a 78% increase from call volume as of 2:00 PM when it was 1900 motorists.
In Maryland, the number of rescued motorists as of 4:00 PM was 760, which is a 73% increase from 2:00 PM on the same day when it was 600.
“The majority of those calls are for towing, dead batteries, or tire-related issues,” says Ragina Cooper Averella, the Manager of Public and Government Affairs for AAA Mid-Atlantic.
“Fortunately, many motorists are actually adhering to state officials’ warning to refrain from driving and staying off the road,” she says. “However, as in most cases, there’s obviously some people who still have to go out and about, and that is certainly reflective in our call volume and what we’re seeing as far the need to rescue disabled motorists on our roadways.”
Before you head out either during or after a snow storm, AAA recommends you brush the snow off of you vehicle, especially the roof, the hood and the trunk. “Give yourself ample time to get where you need to go. Slow down as needed and adjust yourself to the road conditions. and leave yourself plenty of room to stop,” says Averella. She also says keep a safe distance between you and the vehicle in front, don’t use cruise control on slippery roads, and avoid unnecessary lane changes.
If you happen to get stranded on the road, Averella says safely move your vehicle off the road and then call for help. She also says keep an emergency kit in your vehicle, consisting a fully charged cell phone, a car charger, and a warm blanket and clothing. Other items include “jumper cables, kitty litter in case they’re stuck for any sort of traction; and reflective triangles or flares to put them behind their vehicle.” This is to alert drivers behind them that there’s a disabled motorist ahead.
By Kevin McManus