Labor Day weekend means millions of Americans are hanging onto the last few weeks of summer and hitting the roads for a weekend getaway during this Labor Day holiday. AAA East Central stresses the importance of preventive maintenance before a long road trip.

According to a survey of AAA's certified Approved Auto Repair shops, consumers that forget or ignore recommended maintenance ultimately pay higher repair costs. These repair facilities estimate drivers can save an average of $100 per visit simply by properly maintaining their vehicle."Preparation prior to last-minute summer vacations can save motorists the expense and inconvenience of a breakdown," said Chris Baldwin, AAA East Central's vice president of automotive services. "We recommend that motorists use a simple checklist to determine their car's maintenance needs."In the east central territory last year, crews rescued nearly 10,000 motorists traveling during the Labor Day holiday weekend.Key findings from a AAA roadside assistance study found that:• Battery failures, flat tires and keys locked inside the vehicle remain the top roadside assistance requests.• Vehicles less than 5 years old have a higher proportion of tire, key and fuel-related issues than older vehicles. Due in part to complex, electronic vehicle designs, one-in-five service calls for a newer vehicle required a tow to a repair facility.• Vehicles between 6 and 10 years old have the highest proportion of battery-related issues, as most batteries have a 3- to 5-year life.• Roadside assistance calls peak in the summer (8.3 million) followed by winter (8.1 million), fall (7.8 million) and spring (7.7 million).• Drivers are most likely to request roadside assistance on Mondays and least likely to request assistance on Sundays.• Despite advances in key technology, AAA came to the rescue of more than 4 million drivers locked out of their vehicles.To help prevent roadside breakdowns from happening, AAA offers the following recommendations for common roadside problems:• Check for a spare tire: Before purchasing a car, check that the vehicle includes a spare tire. If it doesn't, consider adding one as an option. Tire inflater kits, which have replaced spare tires on tens of millions of vehicles, cannot remedy all types of tire damage.• Check tires: At least once a month, check the tire pressure to ensure proper inflation. This affects tire wear and vehicle handling. Tires should be rotated based on the manufacturer's recommended schedule for the vehicle.• Lockouts: AAA recommends motorists take special care of their "smart keys" and keyless entry fobs. Always take keys when exiting the car, avoid exposing keyless-entry remote or smart keys to water and always replace the key or fob battery when recommended by the vehicle manufacturer.• Battery: AAA recommends that drivers have their vehicle's battery tested when it reaches 3 years of age and on an annual basis thereafter. AAA's Mobile Battery Service offers free battery testing for AAA members.• Pack an emergency kit: A recent AAA survey shows that more than 40 percent of motorists do not carry an emergency kit in their vehicle. AAA recommends that every driver have a well-stocked emergency kit, which includes a mobile phone and car charger; a flashlight with extra batteries; a first-aid kit; drinking water; extra snacks/food for your travelers and any pets; battery booster cables; and emergency flares or reflectors.