"Stay home", AAA urges drivers as maintenance care surges

Winter marks one of the busiest times of year for the folks over at AAA in Abingdon, especially when a storm is on the way.

"Tire pressure is huge. When you do the tire pressure check, if it's too low, it can give you traction issues in inclement weather," said Scott France, manager of AAA Abingdon.

France says they've gotten a bunch of people coming in to winterize their vehicles.

"Something that is really important is topping off your washer fluid. You get ice, you get snow. You definitely want to be able to clean all the salt off your windshield," said France.

It's preventative, but that's the key to keeping your vehicle safe and secure during a major snow event.

AAA tips for drivers during snowstorms

Ragina Ali with AAA says now is the time to make sure you have the items you need ready to go.

"Some things that you want to have in your emergency road kit would be, obviously, a jacket, some gloves. But definitely a blanket should you become disabled at the side of the road for some period of time," said Ali.

She also recommends keeping some items—like a shovel, snow brush in the car, and jumper cables- which might sound obvious, along with some other items you likely wouldn't think of.

"And then what we have over here is kitty litter. Why do I have kitty litter over here? That is for traction similar to sand, should people become stuck on the roadways," said Ali.

Ali says in the winter months, AAA emergency roadside assistance responds to 600,000 calls per week, so while extra crews will be on standby, she says the best preventative measure you can take is to stay home.

"Stay home. If you don't have to be out during the snowstorm, stay home. That's the safest place for you," said Ali.