AAA: 62% of Americans That Drive Their Cars In Severe Conditions Do It Unknowingly

A study by AAA this month has found that the majority of Americans who drive their vehicles under one or more sever conditions do so unknowingly. AAA looked at the typical maintenance schedules of vehicles, which usually contain 2 different sets of maintenance schedules. One for normal driving, and one for severe driving. They found that many people are using the wrong maintenance schedule due to now knowing they are actually participating in one or more severe driving conditions regularly. They list these as the typical severe driving situations:

-- Drive on short trips of less than 5 miles in normal temperatures or
less than 10 miles in freezing temperatures.
-- Drive in hot weather stop-and-go traffic.
-- Drive at low speeds of less than 50 miles per hour for long distances.
-- Drive on roads that are dusty, muddy or have salt, sand or gravel
spread on the surface.

-- Tow a trailer, carrying a camper (if a pickup truck) or transport
items on a roof rack or in a car-top carrier.

Most Americans wouldn't consider most of these. Specifically the short trip ones since a lot of these are done like running to the store, gas station, etc. Living up north you are very likely to do this in the winter both as short trips and in salt infested roads. Living in the south you will do it in the other extreme of heat. What about that new RV you just got rv financing for and are stuck in traffic every time you take it out as you roll into a traffic jam for an hour or two trying to get into a campground?

I'm sure you can think of countless examples of yourself doing this, and it is likely that most of these are your typical driving experience.

AAA advises motorists they should:

-- Read their owner's manual and/or maintenance booklet.
-- Learn what the manufacturer considers normal and severe service
driving conditions for their vehicles.
-- Make an honest assessment of their driving habits.
-- Schedule service in accordance with the appropriate maintenance
schedule.

All common sense obviously, but most importantly is to figure out what kind of driving they do. You may actually be using the wrong maintenance schedule yourself all the time.