Fourth of July Holiday Travel: Vehicle Maintenance Tips

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA -- The Fourth of July is coming up, and with it may come long road trips for some celebrating the holiday.

But beware: the American Automobile Association (AAA) says it expects to rescue nearly 367,000 motorists at the roadside this Independence Day.

Dead batteries, flat tires and lockouts are expected to be among the leading reasons that Triple A members will experience car trouble. So before heading out on a road trip, AAA recommends that motorists take their vehicles to a AAA-approved repair facility to perform any needed maintenance.

Also before hitting the road, motorists need to be prepared for emergencies by taking along certain items:

• A mobile phone and car charger;
• A flashlight with extra batteries;
• A first-aid kit;
• A basic tool kit;
• Drinking water, and;
• Snacks for all passengers.

Additionally, AAA has identified the worst day and time for Los Angeles residents to travel during the holiday: 11:30 am – 1:30 pm Wednesday, July 3. Motorists can expect traffic to be more than two-and-a-half times worse than normal during that particular time period.

And as anyone who's familiar with L.A.'s regular traffic snarls knows, a more than 2.5 times increase could be an absolute nightmare, so consider yourself warned.