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In the final two weeks of January alone, the club completed more than 5,000 service calls, including a high of 450 in one day.
Feb 23, 2026 | Automotive, Community, Member News
VOORHEES, N.J. – It’s been an especially brutal winter in South Jersey. Below-freezing temperatures, snow, ice – you name it. It’s all led to a surge of service calls for AAA South Jersey. In the final two weeks of January alone, the club completed more than 5,000 service calls in our territory of Camden, Cumberland, Gloucester, and Salem Counties – including a high of 450 in one day. So what can you do to keep your car running smoothly in this weather? And what is our team doing behind the scenes to help our members? AAA South Jersey Fleet Assistant Manager Joshua Verde has the answers.
Q: With the brutal winter we’ve been having, what kind of service calls is AAA seeing?
Verde: “Different seasons call for different things. When it's really cold out, we're seeing a lot more jump starts because there's a lot more dead batteries. The cold weather is just killing them. That goes for the extreme heat, too. The extreme heat is going to kill your batteries. We're seeing a lot more people veering off the road, getting stuck in snow or snowbanks where they have to be pulled out.”
Q: What do drivers need to know about driving in the snow or icy conditions?
Verde: “In my experience, I've seen people with four-wheel-drive or all-wheel drive, they tend to drive quick because they think they're invincible, so to speak. You need to slow down, even in those types of vehicles. They can spin out just the same. Clearing the vehicle of any debris, snow, or ice -- that's definitely a must. If you're driving 65 miles an hour down the road and something flies off the vehicle, it can hit somebody else.”
Q: What should drivers always keep in their trunk in case of an emergency?
Verde: “Obviously, you want to make sure you have a good spare tire. Make sure it's filled up with air. Make sure you have the tools to remove it if AAA doesn't come out to assist. Not all vehicles today have spare tires, so unfortunately you need to be towed. It is a good idea to have a jump box. When you have this kind of weather, the batteries are dying. So, if you had your own jump box, you don't have to wait for AAA to come out and service you. The one we carry is a Jump-N-Carry JNC660 and they're a really good jump box that we use.”
Q: Are there any other steps a person needs to take to prepare for roadside assistance?
Verde: “It's always a good idea to have the keys ready, have your membership ready, have the car completely clear. Sometimes we arrive on scene and there's a car blocking the one we’re supposed to tow. That's a big issue. It backs time up for that next member that is gonna be broke down.”
Q: Can you talk about Slow Down, Move Over? Shoulders are narrow enough as is. With the snow, there might not even be a shoulder in some cases. Is that an extra hazard for drivers this time of year?
Verde: “Definitely a big issue. It's not even this time of year, it's all together. Any time you see an emergency vehicle -- whether it's a police officer or a AAA truck -- if you see flashing lights, you should move over. If you can't safely move over, eventually slow down. Maybe a good 20 miles an hour below the speed limit is more safe than anything at all.”
Q: Can you describe the extra steps AAA has been taking to protect and to prepare the equipment during the especially harsh winter?
Verde: “So for example, this past snowstorm that we just got, we had to clear all the {tow truck} beds off, remove all the snow, and then we actually had to salt the beds to make sure that the ice wouldn't freeze up. The straps on the trucks, we would actually bring them inside the cab to make sure they didn't freeze during either rain or snow. Our trucks themselves, the hydraulics, they tend to get more cold, so they actually operate slower.”
Q: Is there anything else you would like our members to know?
Verde: “It's really [important] to have proper information when we go out to service you. We get bad mile markers or no pole numbers. If you go to a parking lot, pole numbers are good. Mile markers are really good. Are you on the southbound, northbound side? Are you on the left side shoulder or right side shoulder? Those are all really good tips for us to find you better.”
About AAA
Started in 1902 by automotive enthusiasts who wanted to chart a path for better roads in America and advocate for safe mobility, AAA has transformed into one of North America’s largest membership organizations. Today, AAA provides roadside assistance, travel, discounts, financial and insurance services to enhance the life journey of over 63 million members across North America, including 56 million in the United States. To learn more about all AAA has to offer or to become a member, visit AAA.com.