The cold snap of weather that has unfolded across much of the country in the past week has brought an onslaught of drivers in Ohio left stranded by their vehicle batteries dying, Fox 28 Columbus reports.
AAA told reporters that the organization had already responded to over 1,500 calls on Monday alone–the majority of them related to battery issues. Christopher Beach with AAA roadside service said that every call he’s received so far has been for battery issues. Rather than jumper cables, Beach utilized a boost box to jump vehicle batteries.
One such driver who experienced a dead battery, Pamela Basker, discovered the problem when trying to leave her home in Merion Village. Being a California native, the extreme cold has been a change for her–though she’s thankful that this is the first time she’s had to change the factory-issued battery in her 2009 Toyota Prius after 129,000 miles of travel.
With replacement batteries costing as much as $300, Beach is reminding drivers to practice regular vehicle maintenance and to have the battery checked at every routine oil change.
