December 20, 2025 • 20 mins
Now that we're officially getting into the coldest months of the year, you're likely ensuring you have everything you need in place to stay warm and safe through the worst elements. That also counts for your vehicle! Mark Schieldrop, Senior Spokesperson at AAA Northeast in Providence, returns to the show to share all the information you need to make sure your vehicle can handle whatever Mother Nature decides to subject us to this winter in New England.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:07):
From WBZ News Radio in Boston. This is New England Weekend.
Each week right here, we come together and talk about
all the topics important to you and the place where
you live. Great to have you with us this week.
I'm Nicole Davis. Well, the cold weather's officially here. I
think that we can now say with the winter solstice
this weekend, and with the meteorological winter a few weeks
(00:28):
underway at this point, we are now very much in
a chilly weather season when it comes to preparing yourself
for that. Not only do you have to get out
your winter clothes and your boots and all the nice
warm drinks, you also have to make sure your car
or your truck or whatever vehicle you drive is in
good shape as well. There are a lot of things
you need to think about that you may not consider
(00:49):
as we get into these cold months. And that is
why we've got Mark Shield drop back on the show.
He is the senior spokesman at TRIPAA Northeast in Providence.
Mark is a wealth of info on this stuff, so
it's great to have you back. Honestly, I'm just going
to be straight up about this. Everything going on around
the holiday and otherwise I just kind of forget about this.
Sometimes it's easy to just hop in the car and drive.
Speaker 2 (01:12):
Nowadays, modern cars are pretty durable and reliable, so we
can sometimes be coaxed into thinking that our cars are
sanctuary when it's cold out. But if we have a breakdown,
you're going to wish you had a good set of
blankets and extra warm clothing. If you have to wait
for a roadside assistance and you're in the cold, you're
going to appreciate having an extra set of gloves, a hat,
(01:34):
maybe scarves in that car or in that trunk with
you to keep you warm where you're waiting for help.
A flashlight with extra batteries is always a good thing
to have as well.
Speaker 3 (01:46):
And then I'm thinking if you.
Speaker 2 (01:48):
Get stuck on the roadside, so you get caught in
a little bit of a snowbank, you're in an area
where you think you can dig yourself out, you're going
to wish you had a shovel. A small hand shovel
can go a long way. An ice scraper with a brush,
which is very important to clear your car off when
you start during the day. But you may find yourself
(02:10):
a part in a place where there's a little bit
of snowfall unexpectedly and you come to your vehicle and
you have to clear snow from that vehicle before you
drive off. So you want to have those tools handy
in your vehicle as well as at home in your garage.
Speaker 3 (02:23):
A good set of jumper cables.
Speaker 2 (02:25):
If you need to jump from somebody, it's nice to
be that person who has the jumper cables all already.
You can maybe help another stranded motorists along the roadside too,
if you see a breakdown or if somebody approaches you
needing a jump, it's nice to have those jumper cables.
And the other thing I think is really important is
just an emergency kit, so that first aid kit which
(02:46):
is helpful, but a reflective vest, high visibility clothing that's
really important. If you're working on your vehicle on the roadside,
you want to be seen. We have less daylight in
the winter, so the concern about visibility if you're a
stranded motorist, it's really significant. There's a lot of crashes
that happen on the roadside and we want to be
(03:07):
seen sooner than later as vehicles approach. Those are really
the top things you can really go down the rabbit
hole of accessories for the roadside, like flares or warning lights,
reflective triangles. There are some new devices now that use
led lights, so instead of your little triangle you have
(03:27):
to prop up that might get blown over. They sell
very small little lights that will flash yellow warning and
you simply turn that on toss it on the road
side while your vehicles on the roadside. That can greatly
improve visibility for sure.
Speaker 1 (03:43):
Yeah, you talk about being broken down on the side
of the road when it's cold outside, I know the
only thing you want to do is stay warm, But unfortunately,
if you're in like a breakdown lane and sort of
straddling a travel lane, it's probably best just to get
out of the car and move away, correct.
Speaker 3 (04:00):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (04:00):
Absolutely, roadside crashes are a growing problem in the country.
We're seeing more every year, and stranded motorists are often
in a really precarious situation on the roadside. So every
area is different, so you kind of have to scope
the scene out.
Speaker 3 (04:16):
If you can maneuver your.
Speaker 2 (04:17):
Vehicle so it's well away from oncoming traffic, if there's
some barrier between yourself and oncoming traffic, then you can
maybe stay in the car. Oftentimes we say staying in
the car is safer, especially if you're wearing your seatbelt,
because you're going to benefit from all this safety technology
in that vehicle, all the vehicle crumple zones. But getting
(04:39):
outside of your vehicle in a way from danger is
often advisable, So you kind of have to make that
judgment call depending on where you're located, how much traffic
is going by, how fast that traffic is going by,
and whether you can remove yourself from danger or get
to a place where you have a barrier between yourself
(05:01):
and other vehicles. So there's really no perfect answer for that.
You kind of have to use your best judgment, which
can be tricky, but you're right. In the winter, we
want to stay warm, and if it's very cold out
and your vehicle is warmer than the outside elements. That's
a tough call to make sometimes because it's tough to
know exactly the best decision in those situations. But really
(05:25):
safety should be first on your list, maybe a.
Speaker 3 (05:28):
Little bit before comfort.
Speaker 2 (05:30):
But we certainly don't want to risk our health as well,
because that is a safety concern outside the vehicle, especially
in extreme conditions.
Speaker 1 (05:37):
Absolutely, so let's talk about how to make sure you
have the best chance of that car not breaking down
in the first place, skidding and hitting a deer. You
can only do so much about that. But let's talk
about winter vehicle prep. We have all the stuff in
the trunk in the backseat, we're good to go. We
got our chocolate bars and ready for whatever. But the
car needs to be nourished too. So what should we
(05:57):
be focusing on right now as we get into winter
for our cars.
Speaker 2 (06:01):
Yeah, winter can be really tough on our vehicles, so
staying on top of that. Regular routine maintenance is critical
in the cold conditions. Our engines work harder, our break
breaks work harder, our cooling system works hard as well.
So we want to make sure our fluids are in
good condition. We've had good oil changes, we've stayed on
top of that. We've topped off any fluids that are needed.
(06:24):
But really the number one thing in terms of what
causes roadside assistance calls that triple A is by and large,
the battery. The batteries wear out the most in the winter.
It's that heat from the I'm sorry, they wear out
most in the summer. It's the heat from the summer
that cooks our batteries over those months but we don't
really notice that our batteries have degraded until the winter,
(06:46):
especially during those first cold snaps, so we get more
roadside assistance calls for dead batteries in the winter than
anything else. If your batteries going on in age and
a battery it usually starts to wear out between four
and six years, so if your battery is pushing that
age envelope, it may be time to get that battery
(07:07):
tested and replaced before the winter weather really takes hold.
So in the winter, a battery loses about thirty five
percent of its charge in when temperatures are at below
thirty two degrees, But a vehicle sitting in the cold
at freezing is going to need about fifty percent more
(07:30):
energy just to turn that engine over and get it started.
So your battery is weaker and you need more power
in the winter to start your vehicle. So that's why
we see so many people with a dead battery in
the morning, so they're running late for work as a
car won't start. A jump start can get you back
on the road, but if your batteries worn out, you're
just going to be back in the same situation again.
(07:51):
So after about five or six years, it's going to
be time to replace the battery. If you're a Triple
A member, we have the Battery Service which will come
to your house.
Speaker 3 (08:00):
We'll hook the battery up to a meter.
Speaker 2 (08:03):
It'll test the battery for you and tell you if
it's just depleted it needs a good charge, or if
it's two weak and basically needs to be replaced. So
that's really the number one thing to focus on in
the winter, on top of your regular maintenance is the
battery and the charging system. So if your battery is
a little bit younger, you want to pop that who
take a look at it, make sure.
Speaker 3 (08:24):
The terminals aren't dirty or corroded. If there's any oil
spots on the battery.
Speaker 2 (08:28):
You want to make sure that battery is clean and
the connections are secure, and then consider replacing the battery
it's dead.
Speaker 3 (08:35):
The other thing is.
Speaker 2 (08:36):
Tires in the winter, we really rely on our tires
to maintain traction. When it's cold out, tires tend to
burm up and are a little harder, so our brakes
are going to work harder to stop our vehicles in
the cold. You want to make sure your tire treads
are up for the task of winter driving. A good
way to test that is by sticking a quarter in
(08:58):
the tire treads. And if you can see George Washington's
head above the end of that tire tread, that's a
sign that you need to get those tires replaced. The
tires are really a key safety component for our vehicles.
It's safety equipment as much as they are essential for
just getting along.
Speaker 1 (09:16):
And I know that when we have these first few
cold days. It happened to me last week. You turn
on the car in the morning and all of a sudden,
your tire light is on, and you're like, my tires
were fine yesterday. I have not driven over a screw.
I'm pretty sure these are good. This is normal to
happen in these first few cold weeks because of the
you know, the pressure expanding and contracting, because of these
(09:39):
crazy swings that we have around here.
Speaker 2 (09:40):
Weatherwise, absolutely, you lose about one psi for every ten
degrees that it gets colder. So that first cold snap
is when we're going to see that low tire pressure
warning light. For sure, tires do lose a little bit
of air very gradually over time, so you do need
to top up your air pressure pretty regularly every few months.
But when we get those cold snaps and then these
(10:02):
cold swings, our tire pressure really can fluctuate pretty dramatically.
So it's a good idea in the winter. Every couple
of weeks, when you fill up your gas, pull up
to that air pressure machine and top off your PSI
and you can find out what your tire pressure should
be by opening your driver's side door and looking along
(10:24):
the door panel. There there's a sticker that tells you
what your PSI should be. Sometimes it's a little different
for your front and rear tires may have a difference
of a few psis. You want to double check that
and build the tires to the recommended pressure. And that's
important for traction, but also to prolong the life of
(10:45):
your tires. Worn tires or uneven tire pressure can speed
up tire wear and that will make you hit the
tire shop sooner than you'd like.
Speaker 1 (10:57):
And nobody wants that. Considering tires are not cheap. They
never were, they're certainly not now.
Speaker 2 (11:02):
No, absolutely, you want to talk about.
Speaker 1 (11:04):
Tires, snow tires, Do you really need them around here?
I guess it depends on where you live. But I mean,
let's talk about snow tires for a minute.
Speaker 3 (11:12):
Yeah, that's a really good question.
Speaker 2 (11:14):
So snow tires, it really depends on where you live
and Massachusetts, believe it or not, anybody who lives here
knows that we have dramatically different climates throughout the state.
So if you're living in the Berkshires in the mountains
and you're getting a lot more snow, snow tires may
not be a bad idea at all. And even parts
of central and northern Massachusetts have a worse winter weather
(11:38):
than in the Boston metro area, where the ocean really
has a significant influence on our local climate. So it
depends on where you live. In some parts of the state,
winter tires will definitely give you a benefit. But I
would argue that a really good set of all season
tires is more than enough for the job for the
vast majority of drivers, and a new set of good
(12:01):
all season tires is preferable to a worn out set
of winter tires. So if you have a set of
winter tires that you've been using, that's great, but a
good set of all season tires should be more than enough.
Unless you're driving in the snow a lot, then winter
tires will be really a beneficial investment for you because
you're going to have better traction, you're going to have
(12:23):
less problems in the snow, and you're going to be
much safer because the stopping distances with winter tires, even
in cold temperatures, not just on the snow, but just
on cold pavement, winter tires will give you better traction
and shorter stopping distances. It's really important not to drive
with those winter tires beyond the really cold months because
they will wear out much faster once it warms up.
(12:46):
Winter tires are a much softer compound, which is great
for traction in the severe cold, but in the warmer
weather they will rapidly wear out if you're driving them
past spring.
Speaker 1 (12:57):
And every icy road in the Commonwealth is going to
laugh at you because it doesn't matter what kind of
tires you have. Ice doesn't care. You can just slip
no matter what's going on.
Speaker 2 (13:06):
Yeah, that's right. I mean some conditions really very few
technologies will overcome, and ice is one of those things.
Studded tires, which are not legal in many places, are
really the only way to guarantee really good traction in
the ice. If you're driving and you see ice you
know that's a concern. You want to moderate your speed
as much as possible. Really, the best tip I can
(13:28):
give is don't drive until the roads have been treated
at the very least. And if you're driving and see
a patch of ice, lift your foot off the gas.
Try to avoid aggressive maneuvers and try to prevent sliding.
If you find yourself needing to apply the brakes, that's okay.
Hold down those brakes, let the audit abs system do
(13:49):
its job. You're going to feel the brakes rapidly pulsating
through the brake pedal. But remember you can still steer
while you're breaking. One of the biggest mistakes we make
ach in emergency situations is we slam on the brakes
and freeze up. Try to just remember that you can
still steer and try to direct the vehicle even if
you're holding down the brake pedal, hoping to avoid a collision.
Speaker 1 (14:11):
And then, of course, if you do find yourself spinning out,
turn in the direction of the spin or against the spin.
I can never remember, And it's a good thing we're
talking about this.
Speaker 3 (14:20):
Yeah, that's tricky. You know.
Speaker 2 (14:22):
There is general advice about turning yourself out of a skid.
The advice we give these days, which I think is
more easily digestible or easier to follow, is just look
in the direction you want to go and trust your instincts.
We have a real knack for our hands following our eyes.
That's why if someone's driving distracted, you can tell, just
(14:44):
because their car will drift and then snap back into
position in their lane as they're looking down at their phone.
They're drifting and as soon as they look back up
they straighten up. Well, in a skid, if you focus
your eyes on where you want the car to go,
your hands are going to naturally turn the direction that
you need to go, and that will help you get
out of that skid. Lifting your foot off the gas
(15:08):
pedal and letting gravity and momentum hopefully do their job
that can help you get out of that skid.
Speaker 3 (15:17):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (15:17):
Look, it's fun to do donuts in the parking lot
and drive around and have a good time in the snow,
but this is not the time of year to be
messing around on the roads by far.
Speaker 3 (15:26):
It's just not no, absolutely know.
Speaker 2 (15:29):
Even on a dry road in the cold, stopping distances
can increase by anywhere from thirty to fifty percent. So
if it's cold out, it doesn't have to be snowing
for conditions to require a change in your driving behavior.
So just go easy and at the very least, even
a small collision can be costly. A small crash can
(15:49):
cost you thousands of dollars in repair bills, and your
insurance rates can go up. It's a good idea to
focus on safety all year long, but especially in the
winter because the consequences are more significant. Increasing that following
distance driving with the philosophy that I'm going to create
enough space in front of me that if somebody needs
(16:11):
to change lanes they can. If you're approaching a highway merge,
leaving a little extra space so people can merge, I
think we'll go a long way to reducing crashes and
improving congestion. A lot of the backups we experience on
a day to day basis are caused by people that
just don't follow far enough away. They're riding too close
(16:31):
to the people in front of them. That creates friction
on the roadway that causes people to tap their brake pedals.
Then we have a ripple effect of people slowing down,
and next thing you know, we have a traffic jam.
So just by driving a little slower, leaving a little
space will keep us safe and we'll get us to
our destinations more quickly.
Speaker 3 (16:49):
Believe it or not, you do.
Speaker 1 (16:50):
Not have to be king of the road. It's okay.
Just let them go. It's not worth the fight.
Speaker 2 (16:55):
I know it's tough, you know, when you drive, it's
tough to keep your ego and check. It's easy to
get frustrated. People will often do dangerous and frustrating things
all around you. It takes a mindset to understand that
people are going to make mistakes, people are going to
do the wrong thing. But I'm going to do the
(17:16):
right thing and I'm going to stay calm and not
let everyone else on the road get under my skin.
It's difficult, but when we complain about traffic, it's easy
to forget that we are traffic as well.
Speaker 1 (17:29):
So let's then talk about the resources that Triple A
has for us in the winter time. I mean, clearly,
lots of great advice that you just gave us, But
if people want to find out more, what do you
have to offer when it comes to this time of year?
Speaker 3 (17:40):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (17:41):
Well, really, the roadside assistance is your life saver in
the winter, and a lot of people they join Triple
A to have an easier time getting their driver's license renewed,
which is a great service we offer. But the roadside
assistance is absolutely an important insurance policy for you to have.
You have a breakdown. You know, it's great to know
(18:02):
how to change your own tire and maintain your vehicle,
but I'm concerned about safety. And when you call Triple
A for roadside assistance, you get that large Triple A
truck pulling up behind you with its flashing lights. That's
going to keep you safe on the road side and
we'll get you back on the road as quickly as possible.
(18:22):
So that's really I recommend everybody have Triple A, not
just because I work there, just because it's going to
keep you safe on the roadside. We also have a
travel business, and in the cold weather, I know a
lot of people are thay dreaming of warm beaches and
tropical getaways. So our membership also includes access to our
(18:44):
travel agents at no costs. So even if you're just
visualizing a trip and want to get some ideas and
some pricing, you can do that. That's a benefit of
your membership that a lot of people don't realize that
they can take advantage of. We also have all sorts
of different partnerships with hotels and companies like NAPA Auto
(19:05):
Parts where you can get a discount on your essentials
and if you're handy and change around oil, you can
save money on those parts that you need at NAP.
With your Triple A membership, the products and service we
offer are pretty extensive. It's one of those things where
a lot of members don't realize all the benefits they have.
(19:27):
So I recommend they go to Triple A dot Com.
They would have to type in their zip code and
then you will have access to our website which lays
out all our different products and services. Safety is my
goal in Triple A Public Affairs, so my job is
to go out there and really encourage people to drive safely,
promote traffic safety, and make sure we all get to
(19:49):
where we need to go in a safe fashion.
Speaker 1 (19:51):
Beautiful well Mark, thank you so much for the time
on the show and really appreciate these tips to keep
us safe on the roads.
Speaker 2 (19:57):
I appreciate it and thanks for helping us get the
met A job about safe driving over the winter.
Speaker 1 (20:02):
Have a safe and happy and healthy holiday season. After
the first of the year, we've got some great content
coming up, so be sure to stick around for that.
I'm Nicole Davis from WBZ News Radio on iHeartRadio
From WBZ News Radio in Boston. This is New England Weekend.
Each week right here, we come together and talk about
all the topics important to you and the place where
you live. Great to have you with us this week.
I'm Nicole Davis. Well, the cold weather's officially here. I
think that we can now say with the winter solstice
this weekend, and with the meteorological winter a few weeks
(00:28):
underway at this point, we are now very much in
a chilly weather season when it comes to preparing yourself
for that. Not only do you have to get out
your winter clothes and your boots and all the nice
warm drinks, you also have to make sure your car
or your truck or whatever vehicle you drive is in
good shape as well. There are a lot of things
you need to think about that you may not consider
(00:49):
as we get into these cold months. And that is
why we've got Mark Shield drop back on the show.
He is the senior spokesman at TRIPAA Northeast in Providence.
Mark is a wealth of info on this stuff, so
it's great to have you back. Honestly, I'm just going
to be straight up about this. Everything going on around
the holiday and otherwise I just kind of forget about this.
Sometimes it's easy to just hop in the car and drive.
Speaker 2 (01:12):
Nowadays, modern cars are pretty durable and reliable, so we
can sometimes be coaxed into thinking that our cars are
sanctuary when it's cold out. But if we have a breakdown,
you're going to wish you had a good set of
blankets and extra warm clothing. If you have to wait
for a roadside assistance and you're in the cold, you're
going to appreciate having an extra set of gloves, a hat,
(01:34):
maybe scarves in that car or in that trunk with
you to keep you warm where you're waiting for help.
A flashlight with extra batteries is always a good thing
to have as well.
Speaker 3 (01:46):
And then I'm thinking if you.
Speaker 2 (01:48):
Get stuck on the roadside, so you get caught in
a little bit of a snowbank, you're in an area
where you think you can dig yourself out, you're going
to wish you had a shovel. A small hand shovel
can go a long way. An ice scraper with a brush,
which is very important to clear your car off when
you start during the day. But you may find yourself
(02:10):
a part in a place where there's a little bit
of snowfall unexpectedly and you come to your vehicle and
you have to clear snow from that vehicle before you
drive off. So you want to have those tools handy
in your vehicle as well as at home in your garage.
Speaker 3 (02:23):
A good set of jumper cables.
Speaker 2 (02:25):
If you need to jump from somebody, it's nice to
be that person who has the jumper cables all already.
You can maybe help another stranded motorists along the roadside too,
if you see a breakdown or if somebody approaches you
needing a jump, it's nice to have those jumper cables.
And the other thing I think is really important is
just an emergency kit, so that first aid kit which
(02:46):
is helpful, but a reflective vest, high visibility clothing that's
really important. If you're working on your vehicle on the roadside,
you want to be seen. We have less daylight in
the winter, so the concern about visibility if you're a
stranded motorist, it's really significant. There's a lot of crashes
that happen on the roadside and we want to be
(03:07):
seen sooner than later as vehicles approach. Those are really
the top things you can really go down the rabbit
hole of accessories for the roadside, like flares or warning lights,
reflective triangles. There are some new devices now that use
led lights, so instead of your little triangle you have
(03:27):
to prop up that might get blown over. They sell
very small little lights that will flash yellow warning and
you simply turn that on toss it on the road
side while your vehicles on the roadside. That can greatly
improve visibility for sure.
Speaker 1 (03:43):
Yeah, you talk about being broken down on the side
of the road when it's cold outside, I know the
only thing you want to do is stay warm, But unfortunately,
if you're in like a breakdown lane and sort of
straddling a travel lane, it's probably best just to get
out of the car and move away, correct.
Speaker 3 (04:00):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (04:00):
Absolutely, roadside crashes are a growing problem in the country.
We're seeing more every year, and stranded motorists are often
in a really precarious situation on the roadside. So every
area is different, so you kind of have to scope
the scene out.
Speaker 3 (04:16):
If you can maneuver your.
Speaker 2 (04:17):
Vehicle so it's well away from oncoming traffic, if there's
some barrier between yourself and oncoming traffic, then you can
maybe stay in the car. Oftentimes we say staying in
the car is safer, especially if you're wearing your seatbelt,
because you're going to benefit from all this safety technology
in that vehicle, all the vehicle crumple zones. But getting
(04:39):
outside of your vehicle in a way from danger is
often advisable, So you kind of have to make that
judgment call depending on where you're located, how much traffic
is going by, how fast that traffic is going by,
and whether you can remove yourself from danger or get
to a place where you have a barrier between yourself
(05:01):
and other vehicles. So there's really no perfect answer for that.
You kind of have to use your best judgment, which
can be tricky, but you're right. In the winter, we
want to stay warm, and if it's very cold out
and your vehicle is warmer than the outside elements. That's
a tough call to make sometimes because it's tough to
know exactly the best decision in those situations. But really
(05:25):
safety should be first on your list, maybe a.
Speaker 3 (05:28):
Little bit before comfort.
Speaker 2 (05:30):
But we certainly don't want to risk our health as well,
because that is a safety concern outside the vehicle, especially
in extreme conditions.
Speaker 1 (05:37):
Absolutely, so let's talk about how to make sure you
have the best chance of that car not breaking down
in the first place, skidding and hitting a deer. You
can only do so much about that. But let's talk
about winter vehicle prep. We have all the stuff in
the trunk in the backseat, we're good to go. We
got our chocolate bars and ready for whatever. But the
car needs to be nourished too. So what should we
(05:57):
be focusing on right now as we get into winter
for our cars.
Speaker 2 (06:01):
Yeah, winter can be really tough on our vehicles, so
staying on top of that. Regular routine maintenance is critical
in the cold conditions. Our engines work harder, our break
breaks work harder, our cooling system works hard as well.
So we want to make sure our fluids are in
good condition. We've had good oil changes, we've stayed on
top of that. We've topped off any fluids that are needed.
(06:24):
But really the number one thing in terms of what
causes roadside assistance calls that triple A is by and large,
the battery. The batteries wear out the most in the winter.
It's that heat from the I'm sorry, they wear out
most in the summer. It's the heat from the summer
that cooks our batteries over those months but we don't
really notice that our batteries have degraded until the winter,
(06:46):
especially during those first cold snaps, so we get more
roadside assistance calls for dead batteries in the winter than
anything else. If your batteries going on in age and
a battery it usually starts to wear out between four
and six years, so if your battery is pushing that
age envelope, it may be time to get that battery
(07:07):
tested and replaced before the winter weather really takes hold.
So in the winter, a battery loses about thirty five
percent of its charge in when temperatures are at below
thirty two degrees, But a vehicle sitting in the cold
at freezing is going to need about fifty percent more
(07:30):
energy just to turn that engine over and get it started.
So your battery is weaker and you need more power
in the winter to start your vehicle. So that's why
we see so many people with a dead battery in
the morning, so they're running late for work as a
car won't start. A jump start can get you back
on the road, but if your batteries worn out, you're
just going to be back in the same situation again.
(07:51):
So after about five or six years, it's going to
be time to replace the battery. If you're a Triple
A member, we have the Battery Service which will come
to your house.
Speaker 3 (08:00):
We'll hook the battery up to a meter.
Speaker 2 (08:03):
It'll test the battery for you and tell you if
it's just depleted it needs a good charge, or if
it's two weak and basically needs to be replaced. So
that's really the number one thing to focus on in
the winter, on top of your regular maintenance is the
battery and the charging system. So if your battery is
a little bit younger, you want to pop that who
take a look at it, make sure.
Speaker 3 (08:24):
The terminals aren't dirty or corroded. If there's any oil
spots on the battery.
Speaker 2 (08:28):
You want to make sure that battery is clean and
the connections are secure, and then consider replacing the battery
it's dead.
Speaker 3 (08:35):
The other thing is.
Speaker 2 (08:36):
Tires in the winter, we really rely on our tires
to maintain traction. When it's cold out, tires tend to
burm up and are a little harder, so our brakes
are going to work harder to stop our vehicles in
the cold. You want to make sure your tire treads
are up for the task of winter driving. A good
way to test that is by sticking a quarter in
(08:58):
the tire treads. And if you can see George Washington's
head above the end of that tire tread, that's a
sign that you need to get those tires replaced. The
tires are really a key safety component for our vehicles.
It's safety equipment as much as they are essential for
just getting along.
Speaker 1 (09:16):
And I know that when we have these first few
cold days. It happened to me last week. You turn
on the car in the morning and all of a sudden,
your tire light is on, and you're like, my tires
were fine yesterday. I have not driven over a screw.
I'm pretty sure these are good. This is normal to
happen in these first few cold weeks because of the
you know, the pressure expanding and contracting, because of these
(09:39):
crazy swings that we have around here.
Speaker 2 (09:40):
Weatherwise, absolutely, you lose about one psi for every ten
degrees that it gets colder. So that first cold snap
is when we're going to see that low tire pressure
warning light. For sure, tires do lose a little bit
of air very gradually over time, so you do need
to top up your air pressure pretty regularly every few months.
But when we get those cold snaps and then these
(10:02):
cold swings, our tire pressure really can fluctuate pretty dramatically.
So it's a good idea in the winter. Every couple
of weeks, when you fill up your gas, pull up
to that air pressure machine and top off your PSI
and you can find out what your tire pressure should
be by opening your driver's side door and looking along
(10:24):
the door panel. There there's a sticker that tells you
what your PSI should be. Sometimes it's a little different
for your front and rear tires may have a difference
of a few psis. You want to double check that
and build the tires to the recommended pressure. And that's
important for traction, but also to prolong the life of
(10:45):
your tires. Worn tires or uneven tire pressure can speed
up tire wear and that will make you hit the
tire shop sooner than you'd like.
Speaker 1 (10:57):
And nobody wants that. Considering tires are not cheap. They
never were, they're certainly not now.
Speaker 2 (11:02):
No, absolutely, you want to talk about.
Speaker 1 (11:04):
Tires, snow tires, Do you really need them around here?
I guess it depends on where you live. But I mean,
let's talk about snow tires for a minute.
Speaker 3 (11:12):
Yeah, that's a really good question.
Speaker 2 (11:14):
So snow tires, it really depends on where you live
and Massachusetts, believe it or not, anybody who lives here
knows that we have dramatically different climates throughout the state.
So if you're living in the Berkshires in the mountains
and you're getting a lot more snow, snow tires may
not be a bad idea at all. And even parts
of central and northern Massachusetts have a worse winter weather
(11:38):
than in the Boston metro area, where the ocean really
has a significant influence on our local climate. So it
depends on where you live. In some parts of the state,
winter tires will definitely give you a benefit. But I
would argue that a really good set of all season
tires is more than enough for the job for the
vast majority of drivers, and a new set of good
(12:01):
all season tires is preferable to a worn out set
of winter tires. So if you have a set of
winter tires that you've been using, that's great, but a
good set of all season tires should be more than enough.
Unless you're driving in the snow a lot, then winter
tires will be really a beneficial investment for you because
you're going to have better traction, you're going to have
(12:23):
less problems in the snow, and you're going to be
much safer because the stopping distances with winter tires, even
in cold temperatures, not just on the snow, but just
on cold pavement, winter tires will give you better traction
and shorter stopping distances. It's really important not to drive
with those winter tires beyond the really cold months because
they will wear out much faster once it warms up.
(12:46):
Winter tires are a much softer compound, which is great
for traction in the severe cold, but in the warmer
weather they will rapidly wear out if you're driving them
past spring.
Speaker 1 (12:57):
And every icy road in the Commonwealth is going to
laugh at you because it doesn't matter what kind of
tires you have. Ice doesn't care. You can just slip
no matter what's going on.
Speaker 2 (13:06):
Yeah, that's right. I mean some conditions really very few
technologies will overcome, and ice is one of those things.
Studded tires, which are not legal in many places, are
really the only way to guarantee really good traction in
the ice. If you're driving and you see ice you
know that's a concern. You want to moderate your speed
as much as possible. Really, the best tip I can
(13:28):
give is don't drive until the roads have been treated
at the very least. And if you're driving and see
a patch of ice, lift your foot off the gas.
Try to avoid aggressive maneuvers and try to prevent sliding.
If you find yourself needing to apply the brakes, that's okay.
Hold down those brakes, let the audit abs system do
(13:49):
its job. You're going to feel the brakes rapidly pulsating
through the brake pedal. But remember you can still steer
while you're breaking. One of the biggest mistakes we make
ach in emergency situations is we slam on the brakes
and freeze up. Try to just remember that you can
still steer and try to direct the vehicle even if
you're holding down the brake pedal, hoping to avoid a collision.
Speaker 1 (14:11):
And then, of course, if you do find yourself spinning out,
turn in the direction of the spin or against the spin.
I can never remember, And it's a good thing we're
talking about this.
Speaker 3 (14:20):
Yeah, that's tricky. You know.
Speaker 2 (14:22):
There is general advice about turning yourself out of a skid.
The advice we give these days, which I think is
more easily digestible or easier to follow, is just look
in the direction you want to go and trust your instincts.
We have a real knack for our hands following our eyes.
That's why if someone's driving distracted, you can tell, just
(14:44):
because their car will drift and then snap back into
position in their lane as they're looking down at their phone.
They're drifting and as soon as they look back up
they straighten up. Well, in a skid, if you focus
your eyes on where you want the car to go,
your hands are going to naturally turn the direction that
you need to go, and that will help you get
out of that skid. Lifting your foot off the gas
(15:08):
pedal and letting gravity and momentum hopefully do their job
that can help you get out of that skid.
Speaker 3 (15:17):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (15:17):
Look, it's fun to do donuts in the parking lot
and drive around and have a good time in the snow,
but this is not the time of year to be
messing around on the roads by far.
Speaker 3 (15:26):
It's just not no, absolutely know.
Speaker 2 (15:29):
Even on a dry road in the cold, stopping distances
can increase by anywhere from thirty to fifty percent. So
if it's cold out, it doesn't have to be snowing
for conditions to require a change in your driving behavior.
So just go easy and at the very least, even
a small collision can be costly. A small crash can
(15:49):
cost you thousands of dollars in repair bills, and your
insurance rates can go up. It's a good idea to
focus on safety all year long, but especially in the
winter because the consequences are more significant. Increasing that following
distance driving with the philosophy that I'm going to create
enough space in front of me that if somebody needs
(16:11):
to change lanes they can. If you're approaching a highway merge,
leaving a little extra space so people can merge, I
think we'll go a long way to reducing crashes and
improving congestion. A lot of the backups we experience on
a day to day basis are caused by people that
just don't follow far enough away. They're riding too close
(16:31):
to the people in front of them. That creates friction
on the roadway that causes people to tap their brake pedals.
Then we have a ripple effect of people slowing down,
and next thing you know, we have a traffic jam.
So just by driving a little slower, leaving a little
space will keep us safe and we'll get us to
our destinations more quickly.
Speaker 3 (16:49):
Believe it or not, you do.
Speaker 1 (16:50):
Not have to be king of the road. It's okay.
Just let them go. It's not worth the fight.
Speaker 2 (16:55):
I know it's tough, you know, when you drive, it's
tough to keep your ego and check. It's easy to
get frustrated. People will often do dangerous and frustrating things
all around you. It takes a mindset to understand that
people are going to make mistakes, people are going to
do the wrong thing. But I'm going to do the
(17:16):
right thing and I'm going to stay calm and not
let everyone else on the road get under my skin.
It's difficult, but when we complain about traffic, it's easy
to forget that we are traffic as well.
Speaker 1 (17:29):
So let's then talk about the resources that Triple A
has for us in the winter time. I mean, clearly,
lots of great advice that you just gave us, But
if people want to find out more, what do you
have to offer when it comes to this time of year?
Speaker 3 (17:40):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (17:41):
Well, really, the roadside assistance is your life saver in
the winter, and a lot of people they join Triple
A to have an easier time getting their driver's license renewed,
which is a great service we offer. But the roadside
assistance is absolutely an important insurance policy for you to have.
You have a breakdown. You know, it's great to know
(18:02):
how to change your own tire and maintain your vehicle,
but I'm concerned about safety. And when you call Triple
A for roadside assistance, you get that large Triple A
truck pulling up behind you with its flashing lights. That's
going to keep you safe on the road side and
we'll get you back on the road as quickly as possible.
(18:22):
So that's really I recommend everybody have Triple A, not
just because I work there, just because it's going to
keep you safe on the roadside. We also have a
travel business, and in the cold weather, I know a
lot of people are thay dreaming of warm beaches and
tropical getaways. So our membership also includes access to our
(18:44):
travel agents at no costs. So even if you're just
visualizing a trip and want to get some ideas and
some pricing, you can do that. That's a benefit of
your membership that a lot of people don't realize that
they can take advantage of. We also have all sorts
of different partnerships with hotels and companies like NAPA Auto
(19:05):
Parts where you can get a discount on your essentials
and if you're handy and change around oil, you can
save money on those parts that you need at NAP.
With your Triple A membership, the products and service we
offer are pretty extensive. It's one of those things where
a lot of members don't realize all the benefits they have.
(19:27):
So I recommend they go to Triple A dot Com.
They would have to type in their zip code and
then you will have access to our website which lays
out all our different products and services. Safety is my
goal in Triple A Public Affairs, so my job is
to go out there and really encourage people to drive safely,
promote traffic safety, and make sure we all get to
(19:49):
where we need to go in a safe fashion.
Speaker 1 (19:51):
Beautiful well Mark, thank you so much for the time
on the show and really appreciate these tips to keep
us safe on the roads.
Speaker 2 (19:57):
I appreciate it and thanks for helping us get the
met A job about safe driving over the winter.
Speaker 1 (20:02):
Have a safe and happy and healthy holiday season. After
the first of the year, we've got some great content
coming up, so be sure to stick around for that.
I'm Nicole Davis from WBZ News Radio on iHeartRadio
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