NDOT Truck

After providing roadway assistance for nearly 4,000 incidents on Reno-area freeways during the first four months of this year, the Nevada Department of Transportation’s (NDOT) Freeway Service Patrol is offering tips to prepare vehicles for summer driving.

NDOT Freeway Service Patrol vehicles patrol fixed routes, helping keep freeways clear by assisting motorists to remove stalled vehicles, as well as providing basic first aid, extinguishing minor vehicle fires, providing traffic control and safety at incident scenes and more.

National statistics show that for every minute a freeway lane is blocked, the resulting traffic congestion takes four minutes to clear, and the chance of secondary crashes rises. 

The Freeway Service Patrol responds to more than 55,000 incidents every year in Las Vegas and Reno, with approximately 80 percent of incidents cleared within fifteen minutes.

As weather warms, Freeway Service Patrol operators respond to an increase in disabled vehicles on the side of the freeway, sometimes because drivers do not take proper steps to prepare vehicles for changing weather. Prepare for Warm Weather Driving 

  • Pack extra bottles of drinking water. They can provide hydration and can be used for cooling down an overheated engine, washing hands after any urgent roadside vehicle repairs and more.
  •  Check tire pressure and tread. As warmer weather arrives, make sure your vehicle tires are properly inflated to manufacturer recommendations, which can also enhance fuel efficiency.
  •  Be familiar with your vehicle’s spare tire and tire repair accessories. Some new vehicles no longer come with spare tires as standard equipment. 
  • Check vehicle brakes, battery, cables, filters, oil level and all other fluid levels, hoses and belts.
  •  Check vehicle lights, including headlights, brake lights, back-up lights, taillights, parking lights, turn signals. 
  • Check windshield wipers. Be ready for summer showers by checking and replacing wiper blades if needed. 
  • Share the road. Warmer weather brings more motorcyclists, bicyclists and pedestrians to Nevada roads. Everyone should watch for each other and share the road. 
  • Ensure your vehicle has sufficient fuel. During hot summer months and with rising fuel prices, Freeway Service Patrol operators see an increase in vehicles stranded on the roadside after running out of gas. 

While the patrol is not available by phone, Freeway Service Patrol route information is available by visiting dot.nv.gov and selecting “Travel Info.”

Additional state highway information is available at dot.nv.gov or by calling (775) 888- 7000. 

(Nevada Department of Transportation)