BUFFALO, N.Y., December 24, 2008 - AAA, well-known for its legendary road service, came to the aid of 15,867 motorists between December 19th and December 23rd when severe weather and poor driving conditions impacted all of Upstate New York. This represents a 50 percent increase in the average call volume the Club would normally experience during a typical five-day winter period. The average number of calls per day during the month of December is approximately 1500.

The type of emergency roadside assistance provided to motorists directly related to the severity of the weather conditions, with winching and extrication representing 31 percent of all calls, while tows totaled 24 percent and battery-related assistance totaled 15 percent for the five-day period. The remainder of emergency roadside assistance provided consisted of vehicle lock-outs, tire issues, gasoline delivery, weak or dead batteries, and other miscellaneous services.

AAA’s network of roadside assistance providers, including the AAA Western and Central New York-owned fleet of vehicles, faced many of the same challenges motorists did, including impassable streets, congested roadways, and severe and changing weather conditions.

AAA Western and Central New York services 25 counties throughout Upstate New York, including the greater and metropolitan areas of Buffalo, Rochester and Syracuse.

With the winter season now officially upon us, AAA recommends making sure your tires are properly inflated and your vehicle is winterized and properly maintained. When driving in winter weather, AAA recommends decreasing vehicle speed, while increasing following distance and avoiding quick starts and stops as they may promote a skid. For more information on preventative vehicle maintenance or driving safely in snow or icy conditions, visit www.AAA.com/auto

As Upstate New York’s largest member services organization, AAA provides over 880,000 members with travel, insurance, financial and automotive related services. Since its founding in 1900, AAA has been a leading advocate for the safety and security of all travelers. AAA can be visited at www.AAA.com.