Road tips for traveling during Labor Day weekend

WICHITA FALLS (KFDX/KJTL) — With summer ending, families across Texas will hit the roads to fulfill last-minute vacation plans.

During Labor Day weekend, highways and roads around the state will be busier than usual with people visiting people before the season is over. DPS Sergeant Juan Gutierrez said that drivers should be more cautious while out on the roads.

“What we always try to remind people is to make sure that you’re following the speed limit signs,” Gutierrez said. “I want to avoid distractions. Not just your phone, but also eating in the car or if you’re traveling with family. If you’ve got kids, it can be a distraction as well. So if you need to pull over, pull over, address, whatever you need to address, get back on the road safely.”

PIO for TxDOT, Adele Lewis, says to make sure you have a plan in place if you’re going to be out drinking with friends or family.

“Last year, in 2024, there were 327 DUI wrecks statewide that resulted in ten fatalities and 36 serious injuries,” said Lewis.

Two of those DUIs were in Wichita Falls. To help combat those DUIs and DWIs, Gutierrez says they’ll have some additional help over the weekend.

“During this time, we’re going to be working operational care. That’s operation crash awareness reduction effort,” said Gutierrez. “So what we do is pretty much every trooper that’s able to work is going to be working. We’re going to be out there enforcing those major traffic laws that are going to be the big contributing factors to crashes.”

All put in place to make sure you and your family have a fun but safe Labor Day weekend.