When winter comes, and ice, snow and frigid temps become a factor for drivers across the region, AAA gets busier than usual. "Our call volume definitely increases," says Elizabeth Carey, public affairs manager for AAA Western and Central New York. "It doubles - sometimes even triples -- at some points."

But AAA has been preparing for the seasonal increase from the time most of us were lounging by the pool in the summer. The club has hired more local fleet drivers and call center associates, and even trained employees from other departments to answer roadside assistance calls when demand is especially high.

"We want drivers to know that whenever they have problems with their car, they can always reach out to AAA," Carey says. "You can use the free AAA Mobile app or request roadside assistance at AAA.com as well. And of course, you can always call us at any time."

Carey offers these tips for AAA members -- and drivers who might not be members -- when it comes to winter driving. 

• Be prepared: Carey recommends that everyone keep basic safety items in their car, including flashlights, jumper cables and duct tape.
• Be smart: In addition to emergency tools, a few other items might be needed if you're stranded for any length of time in wintry weather. "Make sure you have a bottle of water, a couple of blankets and a cell phone charger in your car," Carey says.
• Be aware: If you do need to contact AAA, have some basic information ready so the driver can reach you quicker, Carey says. That info includes: your location, a description of your vehicle, the type of service you need, how many are with you and your contact information.
• Be patient: During severe weather, response from AAA may be a bit delayed compared to normal conditions, and AAA will prioritize calls based on member safety, Carey says. "The first thing we ask people is if they're in a safe location," she says.
• Be safe: "We operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year," Carey says. "However, in severe situations, there may be driving bans in effect on certain roads. We always urge all drivers to cooperate with driving bans because there's a reason they are put into place." In the end, safety is AAA's No. 1 concern, Carey says."

We want to make sure that all motorists, whether they're AAA members or not, are safe on the roads this winter," she says.

Need roadside assistance? Contact AAA now and one of our expert technicians will be on the way to help. 

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