Courtesy Patrol Helping More Drivers Stranded Without Gas

As temperatures rise, so does the need for roadside assistance.

For Dallas County Courtesy Patrol officer Coda Mosley, time is of the essence when assisting stranded drivers, clearing crashes, and helping everyone make it home safely.

"A normal day is a lot of flat tires and a lot of gas,” said Mosley.

Especially, he said, as drivers have felt pinched at the pump, leaving more running dry on hot Texas roads.

"It's gone up. It's definitely gone up,” he said. “I guess because of the prices, we’ve seen a lot of people running out of gas.”

Over the last couple of months, Dallas County reported the number of calls for drivers stranded because they ran out of fuel climbed about 20%, from 285 in April to 353 in May.

In June, that number climbed again to more than 360.

Wednesday afternoon, Courtesy Patrol responded to multiple calls for drivers in need of gas, including Diamond Nicholson.

"I was expecting to make it to the gas station and I didn't,” said Nicholson.

Nicholson was just an exit away as she sat stranded along the shoulder of Central Expressway with her baby in triple-digit heat.

Mosley assisted by supplying a gallon, enough to get Nicholson to a place where she could fill up.

"Oh, yeah. On this expensive gas,” she said.

With temperatures expected to continue to hover around dangerous highs, Mosley said it’s more important than ever not to let the tank get too low.

"I mean, my best bet is to tell you not to run out.,” he said.

But if someone does find themselves stranded, he recommends staying in the car with a seatbelt on and windows down.

And he assures, help is on the way.

"We do make sure that we don't mess around. We get to where we need to get them off the side of the road and to someplace safe,” he said.

Those in need of help in Dallas County can call Courtesy Patrol at 214-320-4444. Reach roadside assistance anywhere by calling the number on the back of a driver’s license.