When Sun Devil Stadium Roars: Navigating ASU Football Season’s Traffic Chaos and Preparing for Roadside Emergencies
As the Arizona State Sun Devils gear up for another exciting football season at Mountain America Stadium in Tempe, thousands of fans will converge on the area, creating massive traffic surges that can turn routine drives into challenging ordeals. Mountain America Stadium is an outdoor college football stadium in Tempe, Arizona, located on the campus of Arizona State University (ASU), with a seating capacity of 53,599 as of 2018. With this many people traveling to and from games, the likelihood of roadside emergencies increases dramatically during football season.
The Perfect Storm: Game Day Traffic and Vehicle Breakdowns
ASU has made significant improvements to manage the traffic challenges around Mountain America Stadium. The amount of directional signage has been doubled to help fans find the best routes to ease confusion and congestion, the designs for arriving and departing game day traffic have been improved, and ASU is partnering with city of Tempe traffic engineers to monitor the streets surrounding the stadium and run the traffic lights for better traffic flow. However, even with these improvements, the first Arizona State University football game forces the city of Tempe to close and restrict numerous streets before, during and after the game, with additional closures that could take place to address public safety concerns that arise during the event.
The combination of heavy traffic, road closures, and thousands of vehicles creates ideal conditions for roadside emergencies. Getting to and from Sun Devil Stadium can be a headache, and when you add the stress of congested roads and unfamiliar detour routes, vehicle problems become more likely and more problematic.
Common Roadside Emergencies During High-Traffic Events
During major events like ASU football games, certain types of roadside emergencies become more frequent. The most common roadside emergencies are also the easiest to avoid if you drive prepared, with the top culprits remaining Model-A-era maladies easily understood and avoided. These include:
- Dead Batteries: Carry jumper cables or a portable jump starter in case your battery dies on the road, especially important in Arizona’s extreme heat which can drain batteries faster.
- Flat Tires: Always keep a spare tire filled with air, a jack, a lug wrench, and tire repair kit in your car since flat tires are one of the most common vehicle breakdowns.
- Running Out of Gas: With traffic delays and detours around the stadium, fuel consumption increases significantly.
- Overheating Engines: Stop-and-go traffic in Arizona heat can cause engines to overheat more easily.
Safety First: What to Do When Your Vehicle Breaks Down
If you experience a breakdown during heavy game day traffic, your safety is the top priority. Don’t panic, because swerving or acting rashly is the worst thing to do in this situation. Remember to stay calm and focus on keeping yourself and others safe. Follow these essential steps:
- Signal Your Emergency: Let other drivers know that you’re experiencing difficulties by putting on your hazards. If you have any additional markers like a reflective triangle or flares to put out on the road, those can help warn other drivers of your position.
- Get to Safety: If your car is beginning to break down, you need to get off the road as soon as it is safe to do so to assess the situation. Look for either a shoulder or an outside emergency lane to get yourself out of the way of traffic.
- Stay in Your Vehicle: The road is a dangerous place, so barring any smoking hoods or fire, you should remain in your car. This is the safest place for you to be and will give you the best chance of survival in case there is a distracted driver who swerves into the shoulder.
- Call for Professional Help: The final step is to call for help. If you don’t know what the car trouble is, and there’s no way for you to figure this out, you need a professional to help you.
Why Professional Roadside Assistance Matters During Game Days
During ASU football games, when traffic is heavy and emotions are running high, having reliable professional help becomes even more critical. A vehicle breakdown on a busy highway can be dangerous and stressful. Whether your car suddenly loses power, overheats, or has another mechanical issue, you need to stay calm and signal by turning on your hazard lights to alert other drivers.
Professional roadside assistance services understand the unique challenges of high-traffic events. Having a roadside assistance service can expedite the resolution process significantly, whether it’s a towing service or on-the-spot repairs, and knowing that help is just a phone call away can alleviate much of the stress and uncertainty associated with breakdowns.
On Time Emergency Roadside and Battery Service: Your Game Day Lifeline
For Sun Devil fans and Tempe residents, On Time Emergency Roadside and Battery Service LLC provides exactly the kind of reliable, professional assistance you need during football season’s traffic chaos. On Time Emergency Roadside and Battery Service provides top of the line roadside assistance and towing in the Maricopa County, AZ area. Since opening our doors, we’ve been committed to providing service of the highest quality, paying particular attention to working efficiently while keeping the lines of communication with our clients clear and concise.
What sets this company apart is their understanding of local conditions and commitment to rapid response. Arizona motorists call them when they’re in a jam because they know they can count on them to deliver quality results. When Arizona motorists need professional jump start services, there’s only one company they call: On Time Emergency Roadside and Battery Service, LLC, because drivers know that they can count on them to provide the fastest, most reliable, and most affordable priced results.
The company offers comprehensive services perfect for game day emergencies, including 24/7 availability, battery jump starts, tire changes, lockout services, and towing. On-Time Emergency Roadside And Battery Service LLC offers 24/7 roadside assistance, towing, battery jump starts, and tire changes in Maricopa County. Their commitment to quick response times is especially valuable during high-traffic events when every minute counts.
For fans heading to Mountain America Stadium, knowing that professional roadside assistance tempe services are just a phone call away can provide peace of mind. Towing services from On Time Emergency Roadside And Battery Service LLC in Tempe, AZ are typically less expensive than you think, with 24-hour towing services always available, no matter what time of day or night it is, and they will be there when you need them, with a quick response time and a cost-effective solution.
Preparing for Game Day Success
The best roadside emergency is the one that never happens. Before heading to any ASU football game, take these preventive steps:
- Vehicle Inspection: Prepare your vehicle BEFORE leaving for your trip. Preventative maintenance can help avoid dangerous vehicle breakdowns. Check your tire pressure, top off the windshield washer fluid, check the engine belts and hoses for signs of wear, and make sure you have enough fuel to get to your destination.
- Emergency Kit: Keep an emergency kit including reflective triangles, a flashing warning light, flashlight, jumper cables, temporary flat tire repair, a blanket, water and a reflective vest.
- Contact Information: Maintain a list of emergency contacts, including local family and friends, local law enforcement agencies, and your insurance provider to streamline the communication process during moments of crisis. Store these numbers both in your phone and in a readily accessible location within your vehicle, ensuring quick access when time is critical.
- Plan Your Route: With ASU’s improved traffic management and increased signage, familiarize yourself with multiple routes to and from the stadium.
When Every Minute Counts
During ASU football season, when thousands of fans are navigating Tempe’s roads simultaneously, roadside emergencies become more than just inconveniences—they can become safety hazards. Being prepared for roadside emergencies is fundamentally about safety. The unexpected can happen anytime; having the necessary supplies and knowledge on hand can make all the difference in addressing immediate threats.
Whether you’re a season ticket holder, a visiting fan, or a local resident trying to navigate game day traffic, understanding how to handle roadside emergencies and knowing who to call for professional help can make the difference between a minor inconvenience and a major problem. With proper preparation and reliable professional support, you can focus on what really matters—cheering on the Sun Devils to victory.
Remember, preparing ahead of time makes it possible to respond quickly in emergencies when seconds count, fostering a sense of self-sufficiency and enabling drivers to handle minor issues independently while preventing the escalation of certain emergencies. Stay safe, stay prepared, and Go Devils!