The Mississippi Department of Transportation urged drivers to check vehicle batteries and offered jump-start instructions ahead of National Battery Day, MDOT said.
MDOT said most car batteries last 3 to 5 years and recommended that batteries older than 2 years have their voltage tested regularly. The agency advised drivers to test voltage themselves or have a professional check the battery when the vehicle is in for service.
MDOT posted a four-step refresher for jump-starting a vehicle: connect the red clamp to the positive terminal of the dead battery; connect the red clamp to the positive terminal of the good battery; connect the black clamp to the negative terminal of the good battery; then connect the black clamp to an unpainted, unmoving surface on the dead vehicle away from the battery, MDOT said.
MDOT said following those steps is preferable to being surprised by a car that will not start. The agency shared the tips on social media in a post that included hashtags such as #NationalBatteryDay and #RoadReady, MDOT said.
Jon Ross Myers is the executive editor and publisher of the Mississippi News Network, Mississippi's largest digital only media company. He can be reached at editor@tippahnews.com
