Trouble starting your car in the cold? You weren't alone!

The snow and frigid cold from the weekend through Monday had calls to AAA Mid-Atlantic skyrocketing, especially Monday morning as people returned to work and school.

"The effects of extreme cold temperatures on a car can be cumulative, as evidenced by our member calls," said Jana L. Tidwell, Manager of Public and Government Affairs for AAA Mid-Atlantic.

She said from Friday through Sunday, AAA Mid-Atlantic had 3,758 calls for help in the five-county Philadelphia area. Of those, 35 percent -- or 1,309 -- were for dead car batteries.

Also, Monday through 9pm, there were 2,262 calls for help. Nearly half -- 1,056 -- were for dead car batteries.

Tidwell reports at zero degrees, a car's battery loses about 60 percent of its strength, but the engine needs about twice as much power to start. And even at 32 degrees, a battery is 35 percent weaker.

Add all the items like chargers, upgraded audio, and GPS devices we plug in, and a battery's life can be drained even faster.

AAA recommends drivers have their batteries tested at three years old and every year after.