As Labor Day travelers head out of town this weekend on their last summer getaway, AAA Northern New England is advising drivers to make sure your car is road ready and don’t drive intexticated or intoxicated.
With Independence Day setting a travel record this summer we expect Labor Day to also be extremely busy both on the highway and by air,” said Pat Moody manager of public affairs for AAA Northern New England. “Be prepared for a high traffic volume and plan ahead to give yourself plenty of time to reach your destination.”
AAA forecasts that local gas prices will decline through Labor Day and into the Fall. Cheaper production, stable August crude oil prices, and an anticipated drop in consumer demand after Labor Day will contribute to the decline. A September switchover from the more expensive summer blends to cheaper winter blends also will contribute to lower prices at the pump.
- Vermont’s average current price is $2.91 per gallon, which is 1 cent higher than one month ago and 52 cents higher than one year ago.
- New Hampshire’s average current price is $2.79 per gallon, which is 1 cent higher than one month ago and 49 cents higher than one year ago.
- Maine’s current price is $2.84 per gallon, which is 1 cent higher than one month ago, and 45 cents higher than one year ago.
AAA reminds everyone to stay safe this year by designating a sober driver, calling a cab or arranging to stay with a friend before kicking off your Labor Day celebrations. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Labor Day weekend is one of the deadliest times of year in terms of impaired driving fatalities. During the 2016 Labor Day holiday period, 43 percent of nationwide crash fatalities involved drivers who had been drunk. It's important to remember that drug-impaired driving is just as dangerous as drunk driving. Illegal drugs, marijuana, prescription medication, and even some over-the-counter can affect your driving. Impaired driving is illegal and puts you, your passengers and other road users at risk of serious injury or death.
AAA expects to rescue over 5,000 thousand members in Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont at the roadside around the Labor Day holiday. Dead batteries, lockouts and flat tires will be the leading reasons AAA members will experience car trouble. AAA recommends motorists take their vehicle to a trusted repair facility to perform any needed maintenance before heading out. Oil changes, fluid level checks, battery tests and tire inspections go a long way toward reducing the chances of a breakdown.
Tips for traveling this weekend:
Inspect your vehicle. Check your tire pressure while the tires are cold using the recommended pressure listed on the inside of the vehicle’s driver door. Make sure all belts and hoses are not worn or cracked, and that fluids are at adequate levels. If you are towing a camper or trailer make sure to have them inspected as well.
Getting enough sleep. Be sure to get enough sleep the night before a vacation. Stop every 2 hours or 100 miles, get out of the vehicle and walk around and stretch. Do not try to drive straight through on long trips. Take breaks to eat and see local sights.
Put down your phone. Lives depend on it: To combat this dangerous trend, AAA launched a new, multi-year traffic safety education campaign starting in April 2018. Our campaign centers around the theme - "Don’t Drive Intoxicated – Don’t Drive Intexticated." It is designed to help audiences understand the consequences of using a smartphone while driving are the same as drinking and driving – both can result in crashes, injuries and deaths. The campaign targets drivers who would never consider drinking a beer behind the wheel, and yet, regularly engage with mobile devices that dangerously take their eyes, hands and minds off the road.
Not drinking and driving. It’s never safe to drink and drive, and extra holiday travel traffic congestion adds more opportunities for tragedy. Use a designated driver, make arrangements to stay overnight, or arrange a safe ride home if you plan to drink.
Not using certain prescriptions before getting behind the wheel. Make sure your needed prescriptions don’t affect your driving ability. If you don’t know, check out RoadwiseRX.com, a free AAA site that lists possible driving-related side effects for most medications.
As North America’s largest motoring and leisure travel organization, AAA provides 59 million members with travel, insurance, financial, and automotive-related services. Operating 19 offices throughout Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont, AAA Northern New England is a not-for-profit, fully tax-paying corporation and a leader and advocate for the safety and security of all travelers. Today, AAA members benefit by roadside assistance, insurance products and services, travel agency, financial products, automotive pricing and buying programs, automotive testing and analysis, trip-planning services, and highway and transportation safety programs. Information about these products and services is available by visiting www.AAA.com. For more information visit AAA.com/DontDriveDistracted.