BATON ROUGE, La. (BRPROUD) – June is hurricane season and weather experts say not to wait until a rainy day to start planning your evacuation.
While people may remember to prep their homes, they sometimes forget about their vehicles. Many Louisianians are no strangers to hurricanes and know natural disasters can come unexpectedly which can give them little to no time to prepare.
“My personal rule, if it’s a Category three or higher then I’m out, I’m gone. I’m evacuating,” said Don Redman, the spokesperson for AAA Mississippi.
AAA wants to ensure families are ahead of the wave. As people start to plan and prepare, AAA said to make sure vehicles are included in evacuation plans.
“You’re going to be in traffic. So have some water and have some snacks with you, have those important papers with you,” said Redman.
As crazy as it sounds, Redman said to not forget to fill up your gas tank.
“You see it time and time again. People evacuating with a quarter of a tank or less and they run out of gas in traffic,” said Redman.
When it comes to driving through a storm, Redman said don’t drive through bodies of water. Especially, if you don’t how deep it is.
But, if you do get stuck, safety experts said to not re-start your vehicle. Instead, you should have it towed.
“Your intake valve is under your front bumper. And if you get that immersed in water, it’s going to be sucking that flood of water straight into your engine. And now your repairs are going to be catastrophic,” said Redman.
Most importantly, Redman said to check your insurance policy. Liability doesn’t cover flooding. You need comprehensive coverage.
He also said to not wait until the last minute to buy other plans like roadside assistance and travel insurance.
“You definitely want to get it now if you’re making plans, if it becomes a named storm, it’s too late. You can’t get any travel insurance,” said Redman.
Windshield wipers, fluids and tires should also be checked before hitting the road.
Evacuating can be exhausting. Travel and safety experts suggest stopping for rest if you’re on the road for an extended period of time. Booking a hotel room is recommended. Redman said don’t risk falling asleep behind the wheel.
To learn more about AAA roadside assistance and other coverage plans, visit here.
