AAA techs brave bitter cold to help stranded drivers

January 31, 2019 6:53 pm

CRANSTON, R.I. (WLNE) — For AAA lead roadside technician Michael Matarese, a bitter cold day like Thursday translates to a very busy one.

“I would say 90 percent of what we deal with on a day like this is jump starts, battery calls, but we also see lockouts, frozen locks,” said Matarese.

The number of calls on a day like this is often double what he’d see on a normal day.

“We try to prioritize some. If its 9 degrees and somebody’s sitting in their car by the side of the road, we’re going to go to that person before we go to the person who’s sitting in their warm house,” said Matarese.

We tagged along with Matarese to a dead battery call in Cranston, then two cars that wouldn’t start in Warwick. Matarese says despite busy cold days like this, he truly loves his job.

“I like it,” said Matarese. “I would much rather this than work inside an office.”

Matarese says his best advice is to replace your battery every few years, and don’t let your car sit for long periods. Try to start it every day, especially during cold periods like this.