Area towing companies and AAA services had to bring in extra staff to handle the increased call volume as temperatures plunged below zero.
Mild winters may have extended the fragile lifespan of many car batteries, but this week's Arctic freeze that swept through the Lehigh Valley seemed to have put an end to that.
Vicki Bechtel, vice president of operations for Northampton County AAA, said dead car batteries were the main culprit behind the flurry of phone calls to the roadside service company.
"We've had to bring in extra staff," Bechtel said. "This is probably one of the highest call volumes I've experienced in my (16-year) tenure with AAA."
Bechtel said many drivers in the Lehigh
Valley found car trouble when they went out to start their cars
Monday night and Tuesday morning. Wind chills in the Lehigh Valley reached minus 23 and down to minus 25 in Hunterdon County.
"I think we've been so spoiled with warmer, milder winters so that this was kind of a surprise," Bechtel said. "A typical battery's lifespan is about three to five years. If someone's was teetering on the edge here, this was it. This was all it took."
Lockouts were probably the second most common AAA call, according to Bechtel. She said staff has had to prioritize calls, though, because some callers with lockouts or dead batteries were away from home.
"We try to take care of people on the interstate or in a parking lot first," Bechtel said. "Especially if there's a child or pet involved. We try to expedite those quickly."
Phones were ringing off the hook at Easton Auto Body on Tuesday and Rossnagle's Service Center in Phillipsburg for tow truck assistance.
Asked if the cold weather had increased calls for the Phillipsburg towing company, Patricia Rossnagle guffawed.
Business was absolutely swamped Monday.
"Yesterday was a zoo," she said. "It was terrible."
Typical call volume for a day tops out at about 30 calls, she said. There were about 100 Monday, according to Rossnagle, and early Tuesday afternoon they'd already seen about 40. Rossnagle excused herself every few seconds during an interview to answer a ringing line.
She said the company has brought all 10 trucks out to help the past couple of days.
"And it's still going," Rossnagle said. "It's not slowing."
Bechtel suggested drivers try to be prepared for the worst, stuffing an emergency kit in their car in case they get stranded. The kit should include water, some snacks and blankets as well as a first-aid kit.
"And you really need to dress warm — even if that means keeping an extra layer of clothes in your car just in case," Bechtel said.
The Northampton County AAA has no idea how long their extra-staffed days will last. Bechtel said they'll be monitoring call volume and make their decision that way.
"We'll have our force in force as long as it takes," she said. "If we don't see a downgrade in call volume, then we'll continue to keep this staff in place until we do."