RICHMOND, Va. — How old is the car you’re driving around Richmond? AAA Mid-Atlantic says the average age of vehicles on the roads is about 12.5 years. And, they added, anything older than 10 years is twice as likely to end up stranded on the side of the road making preventive maintenance critical.

“Go over those belts and hoses. Just see if you see any kind of damage, anything that looks torn or ripped,” AAA Mid-Atlanic spokesperson Morgan Dean said. “Then check in the fluids. Get that oil changed. Make sure you stay on that, but have them check all those other fluids at the same time, just to make sure that the car is getting that good preventative maintenance that helps keep you on the roadway.”

Dean also said to expect your tire pressure light to come on as temperatures dip.

Most AAA Car Care Centers offer free bumper-to-bumper health checks as time and appointments allow.

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