As untold thousands of Texans prepare for a July 4th holiday road trip, AAA Texas recommends making automobile preventive maintenance part of every driver's itinerary, News Radio 1200 WOAI reports.
The road travel club's Daniel Armbruster says a quick trip to a trusted mechanic, or a knowledgeable once-over by a mechanically savvy vehicle owner can prevent getaway savings from becoming a vehicle repair fund miles from home.
"If your battery is more than three years old, you want to have them test your battery," Armbruster says. "Have them check your belts and hoses, make sure the engine is good, all the coolant levels are good and, of course, check your tires, making sure they have enough tread and also making sure that the air pressure is set right."
He says when readying a newly purchased vehicle, it's also a good idea to look for the spare tire.
"A lot of the newer vehicles do not come with a spare tire, and a lot drivers don't find that out until it's too late and they're stuck on the side of the road without a spare tire and they have a flat," says Armbruster.
Nationwide, the American Automobile Association expects to dispatch roadside assistance to more than 362,000 stranded motorists over the Independence Day 2018 travel period lasting from July 3-8.
Most of those assistance calls, Armbruster says, will be the result of dead batteries, lockouts, flat tires and engine problems.