No Holiday for AAA

Thousands of Drivers Expected to Call for Help over Labor Day Weekend

(Just in Greater Hartford area Alone!) 

While the Labor Day holiday is the least heavily traveled of the three major holiday weekends of the summer, millions of folks will still be hitting the roads this weekend, which will mean thousands of calls from our members in need - just in the Greater Hartford area alone. 

“If Memorial Day and the July 4^th weekend were any indication, AAA is expecting a record or near record number of folks to hit the road for the Labor Day holiday trying to make the most of the last few days of summer,” says Amy Parmenter, spokesperson for AAA in Greater Hartford. “This means it’s all hands on deck for the AAA Roadside Rescue crew”.

While AAA no longer releases official travel projections for the Labor Day weekend, based on previous years’ projections and the increased volume of travelers over the Memorial Day and July 4^th holidays, there may be more than 40 million people nationwide traveling a distance of 50 miles or more this weekend, and most of them will be driving to their destinations.

Lowest Gas Prices in Three Years

The average price of gas across Connecticut will be the lowest it has been over the Labor Day holiday weekend in three years. Today’s average for a gallon of regular unleaded is $2.76.

AAA Emergency Roadside Numbers

Last year over the Labor Day weekend, AAA in Greater Hartford responded to more than 3000 calls for help, and more than half of them required a tow. As is typical, the majority of calls were for flat tires and dead batteries but there were also hundreds of members who called AAA because they had locked themselves out of their vehicles.

“The large volume of ‘lock out’ calls is an unfortunate reminder that sometimes slowing down a bit can actually save you time!” Parmenter says.

Tips for Labor Day Travelers

• Make sure your vehicle is road ready – any AAA Approved Auto Repair or the new AAA Car Care in Southington will provide free battery and tire checks. Don’t wait until you’re stuck on the side of the road to think of AAA.
• Limit Distractions - put the phone away, look up, look out
• Slow Down – With such high volume of traffic, it is important to expect the unexpected.
• Drive Defensively
• Make sure your AAA Membership is up to date – are you covered for towing longer distances if need be?

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