Roadside breakdowns are up despite vehicle advances

Published 1:30 am Monday, August 1, 2016

On our way to the Woodland Park Zoo the other day, my kids and I were among the looky-loos ogling a car on fire along the side of the interstate. Yikes.

Thankfully, the family who had been in the sedan was safely off the road and away from the flames.

It was certainly one of the more dramatic breakdowns we’ve seen. Yet there are more cars idled along the sides of roadways, according to research by AAA.

The automobile service club responded to a record-breaking 32 million drivers in 2015 with battery, flat tire and key problems. In Washington, AAA assisted 121,000 drivers.

And not everyone has AAA.

Interestingly, vehicles fewer than 5 years old in particular experienced a higher proportion of tire and key-related issues than older vehicles among AAA service calls. All those keyless ignitions and tire inflator kits (in place of a spare tire) apparently have had unintended consequences.

More than half a million drivers ran out of gas. One reason may be relying too much on electronic systems that gauge range, pushing the limits between fuel-ups.

Summer is the peak time for road assistance calls. The more you know…

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