NORTH LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — We all know that the summer heat can be brutal. And while we have all dealt with high temperatures in the 90's for most of the week, you may have been left thinking that it's time to head inside, and stay inside.
For tow truck operators like Tim Moody, vice-president at JHook Towing and Recovery, high temperatures mean that his work has just begun.
"This is going to be my 41st year, August will be my 41st."
"That's where we're going to be busy, and we're going to run a lot more calls than we normally do," Moody said.
His years of experience are a great benefit – he knows that this time of year is typically busier than most, and for a good reason.
When you step outside, you'll run straight into what has caused that – the heat.
"If you've got anything that's breaking down that you don't know of, it's gonna break down," Moody said, speaking on how the heat can affect your car.
While the heat can cause a lot of issues, Moody said that they have seen a new problem pop up. With the price of gas so high, many people have decided to go as long as possible before they decide to fill their tank.
Moody said, that's not such a great idea.
"That they can't afford the gas," he said. "They just try to buy enough gas to get from Point A to Point B, which I can understand but... that just don't work."
Within the past couple weeks, Moody said that they've probably responded to at least ten calls for help. All for the same thing -- people that just needed a gallon of gas to make it home.
AAA spokesperson, Nick Chabarria said that statewide, that number has also gone up.
"Some of our AAA clubs have seen an increase from April to May in calls for service for fuel," Chabarria said.
Chabarria said the heat can certainly cause problems, but being left without gas could cause even more.
"If you're stuck out in 90 degree plus weather, that's going to be an uncomfortable wait and potentially even hazardous for you," he said.
Both Chabarria and Moody recommend doing a couple of things.
They said that despite the high gas prices, you need to get gas. And you need more than just a quarter tank. They also recommend that you keep an eye on your fluids and tires.
While breakdowns can cause more business for Moody and others in his business, he said that you should do what you can to prevent them.