CHARLOTTE, N.C. — AAA predicts this will be the third busiest year for holiday travel since they started tracking it in 2000.

From Friday, Dec. 23 to Jan. 2, AAA expects almost 113 million Americans to travel. A little more than 90% of those travelers will drive.

What You Need To Know


  • A little more than 90% of Americans traveling will drive to their holiday destination, according to AAA

  • Diamond Finish Car Wash and Lube Center shares tips on making sure your car can handle the cold

  • Check the battery, tire pressure and oil

In western North Carolina, we could see the coldest Christmas Eve in more than 30 years and that could wreak havoc on your car. Gov. Roy Cooper signed a State of Emergency (SOE) in preparation for possible icy conditions.

Related story: Cooper declares State of Emergency ahead of winter storm

The Diamond Finish Car Wash and Lube Center is offering some tips on how to make sure your car is ready to go for the holidays.

Technician Damian Wright says the biggest issue he sees is a weakened battery.

“You do wanna make sure to still test it because even though it does get really cold outside and maybe it may be cranking one day, there could be a really severely cold day and that could affect the battery itself,” he said. “Not necessarily causing it to die, but cause a weakened crank or have, you know, a lack of voltage."

Wright suggests getting it checked before heading out. He also says check the oil because the cold can impact that as well.

“When you go to start that car, it’s harder for that oil to start circulating and moving around in that system. So if you have a lighter-weight oil, sometimes that helps,” he said.

Wright suggests looking for an oil with a “W” on it, as that stands for winter.

He also says the tires can lose pressure in the cold.

“Every 10-degree drop allows that tire to drop down in tire pressure,” Wright said. “So a lot of people wanna over fill it, but you can always stay to what the manufacturer recommends.”

“When it does get low in pressure, that puts more weight on the sidewall of the tire, which can in turn risk blowouts or you know loss of traction is the biggest thing especially when the roads start to get icy or wet,” he adds.

Lastly, Wright says checking the other fluids and the windshield wipers is important, as those can also become more brittle in the cold.

 

Winter Weather