As the Labor Day holiday weekend approaches, the Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT) advises motorists to drive safely and expect heavy traffic traveling in and through the state. Last year, there were more than 973,000 trips made through Delaware’s three toll plazas from Friday, September 1 to Monday, September 4, 2017.
“Using good driving habits and obeying the rules of the road are critical any time you drive, and we want everyone traveling this weekend to enjoy the unofficial end of summer and reach their destinations safely,” said Secretary of Transportation Jennifer Cohan.
Motorists can increase their safety, and reduce the risk to others by doing the following:
• Always wear seatbelts
• Never drive under the influence of drugs or alcohol
• Obey posted speed limits
• Do not drive distracted
• Do not drive aggressively
Following these five rules significantly decreases the likelihood of being involved in a crash as these are the leading cause of crashes involving serious injury or death on our roads. To date, there have been 71 crash-related fatalities on Delaware roads.
“Based on consumer confidence, steady gas prices, and the high volume of travelers we have seen this Memorial Day and Independence Day weekends, AAA expects to see more travelers on the roads this Labor Day weekend than we’ve seen in the past ten years,” added Ken Grant, Manager of Public and Government Affairs for AAA Mid-Atlantic.
Before getting on the road, motorists can review real-time conditions by using DelDOT’s smartphone application. The DelDOT App is available for Apple and Android smartphones and tablets, and can be downloaded free, by searching for “DelDOT” at the Apple and Google Play stores. Motorists can also listen to WTMC 1380 AM for updates on current road conditions.