Local mechanics see increase in calls as cold temperatures impact cars

It wasn’t just the police that had a busy day Monday, mechanics around Siouxland saw an increase in calls as the cold put extra strain on vehicles.

The cold puts a strain on car batteries and can also reduce the air pressure in your tires.

Local repair shops say they’ve fielded a lot of calls on both issues and say they’re working to keep people safe and on the road.

“Every time the temperature drops, especially the first time it drops, we always get a lot of extra calls with people needing batteries with cars that have broken down,” Craig McReynolds with Tires, Tires, Tires told us. “The extra cold just puts a lot of stress on those cars. Making sure that you have the right tire for the kind of travel you are doing and the car that you are driving and make sure that you haven’t let the tread get too low.”

If you are out on the road in these conditions, make sure you have extra warm clothes, plenty of gas, and a way to call for help if you need it.