Those hitting the highway this weekend shouldn’t have to contend with road construction and temporary lane closures, according to a press release from the Alabama Department of Transportation.

The brief moratorium on road work spans through midnight Monday. Despite the reprieve, ALDOT officials are asking drivers to plan for increased traffic and allow for extra time to reach their destinations.

“With the increased number of vehicles on the road during the Memorial Day holiday weekend, there is no room for risky or aggressive driving,” said Allison Green, Drive Safe Alabama coordinator, ALDOT. “Heavy traffic calls for extra patience and a commitment to focus on the road without the distractions of cell phones and other devices.”

Speeding and driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol are the two most dangerous behaviors involved in fatal crashes.

On average, less than one percent of crashes end in a fatality. However, the proportion of fatal crashes involving motorists driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol was almost eight times that in 2015.

“Designating a sober driver before drinking is key to preventing these deadly crashes,” Green said. “Having all occupants, front and rear seats, in a vehicle wear a seat belt is the best defense if there is a crash.”

Motorists planning their holiday travel route can find Alabama traffic and road condition information at www.ALGOtraffic.com or download the ALGO Traffic app available online in the Apple App Store and on Google Play. ALDOT asks motorists to use ALGO Traffic responsibly. Drivers should never text, tweet or use a mobile device while operating a vehicle.

Huntsville checkpoints

The Huntsville Police Department announced its DUI Task Force would conduct checkpoints at various locations today. The task force utilizes data provided by the state that determines traffic accident hotspots across the city. There are 40 designated hotspots throughout Huntsville, and officers will be conducting checkpoints at one or more of those locations.

Drivers who are stopped should be prepared to present a driver license, proof of insurance and vehicle tag registration to the officers.

Drivers who see or suspect someone is drinking and driving are asked to call 256-722-7100. Those with a report should be prepared to give the location, vehicle description, driver description and direction of travel for the suspected vehicle.

Water safety

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers released a statement Friday encouraging those who plan to be on the water this weekend to use life jackets. This year, several lakes have water levels that are lower than the usual summer levels, which means the possibility of more obstacles for boaters and swimmers, according to Col. James DeLapp, Mobile District Commander, USACE.

In 2016, 24 people drowned while fishing, swimming, boating or participating in some other water activity at a Mobile District Recreation Site.

“That’s 24 too many. All of these were preventable deaths. Most of them would have survived had they been wearing a life jacket,” DeLapp said.

The USACE National Operations Center for Water Safety offers these safety reminders:

Boating

Wearing a life jacket helps ensure that you can survive a fall overboard. Falls contribute to 27 percent of boating fatalities, so wearing a life jacket increases the boater’s chances of being rescued. A fall into the water can be like hitting concrete if you’re moving fast and it’s easy to get the wind knocked out of you.

It takes a strong swimmer an average of 10 minutes to put on a life jacket after entering the water. Unfortunately, it only takes an average of 60 seconds for an adult to drown. If you won’t wear a life jacket for yourself, then wear it for those who love you.

Swimming

Wear a life jacket regardless of your swimming ability. No matter how well you swim, a fun swim could turn into a fight for your life due to conditions such as waves, current or exhaustion. Swimming ability also generally decreases with age. Therefore, wearing a properly fitted life jacket is critical.

A manual-style inflatable belt pack life jacket works great for swimmers because they can pull the cord to inflate it if they find out they are facing challenges they didn’t anticipate while swimming.

Don’t mix alcohol and water

Being under water and under the influence is a dangerous combination as the swimmer can easily become disoriented. Boaters can also be affected. They can develop “boater’s hypnosis,” a condition in response to sun, wind, noise, vibration and motion which causes fatigue and slows the boater’s reaction time.

Combining that condition with alcohol or drugs further reduces the boater’s coordination, judgment and reaction time, so wearing a life jacket can prevent deadly consequences.