Traveling for Labor Day? Here are tips to help you travel safely this holiday weekend

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — Summer may be coming to a close, but the summer travel craze that has been hot all season is not letting up this Labor Day holiday weekend, according to Triple-A’s Doug Shupe.

“We’re expecting it to be very busy on our roadways, as well as at their airports, the bus stations, the train stations, and the cruise ship terminals,” said Shupe. “A lot of people are ready to get out there and see the world again, with the COVID restrictions lifted all across the globe. This is going to be an opportunity for a lot of people to spend that quality time with family and friends and wrap up their summer vacations.”

According to AAA, transportation data from Inrix, a global provider of transportation data and insights, expects Thursday, Aug. 31 between 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. to be the busiest time on the roads during the long Labor Day weekend. The group also expects Friday, Sept. 1 to also have more traffic between 11 a.m. and 9 p.m.

“It’s always a good idea to leave as early in the day as you possibly can, but still drive at times where you’d normally be awake to avoid drowsy driving,” said Shupe.

Gas prices heading into the weekend remain stable, with the state average at $5.28 and even down in some places compared to last year, according to AAA. However, Shupe shared the best way to maximize fuel efficiency while traveling is to maintain your vehicle well.

“Making sure that your vehicle is well-maintained will maximize your fuel efficiency, but hopefully prevent a roadside breakdown this holiday weekend so you can get to your destination on time, but most importantly, safely,” said Shupe.

Getting to your destination safely is why CHP officer Eric Scott shares it is also essential to be a defensive driver this holiday weekend.

“Always assume that people driving around you aren’t as good as you are when you’re operating that vehicle, and you always want to try to anticipate something bad happening that way you have time to react,” said Officer Scott. “We want everybody to leave wherever there leaving from safely and get where they’re going to safely with the least amount of incidents that we can see out there on the roadway.”

For more information on Labor Day travel, visit AAA’s website.