Traffic tips ahead of Labor Day weekend

Labor Day weekend is here and people are hitting the road for the last big travel weekend of the summer.

“I see all those red lines on my maps app…it’s going to be crazy getting into LA,” said Alex Steiner, traveling for the holiday.

AAA says the majority of drivers will be hitting the roads Friday afternoon between 3 p.m. and 7 p.m.

“It’s been long…about four hours traveling from Phoenix to here. Especially with the traffic it’s been off and on quite a bit of traffic coming here in some areas,” said Isaiah Beltran.

If you’re heading out of the valley, AAA says be mindful of your return trip. They anticipate traffic is going to be heaviest on Monday from 12 p.m. until 7 p.m.

Drivers already on the road for the holiday on Friday afternoon say they experienced some congestion on the I-10: “There was a little bit of traffic because obviously everyone from Phoenix wants to come to Cali..the beaches…Disneyland…whatever it is out here,” said Jose Saodana.

“We have every type of driver on the road…it is congested but it’s moving fairly well,” said Joshua Rodriguez.

With the increased amount of drivers on the road traveling for longer distances than usual, AAA added everyone should prepare their cars ahead of time: “You want to make sure the belts and the hoses are in good shape. You wanna make sure that all the fluids like oil and radiator fluids are at proper levels because you don’t want to be on the roads and have those things break apart. And also make sure your tires are in good condition,” said Jeffrey Spring, Corporate Communications Manager, Automobile Club of Southern California.

Make sure to get plenty of rest before making a trip and stay alert on the roads. “Try to let social media go…and anticipate how amazing your destination is going to be. Try to meditate on that because driving…can be a lot,” added Steiner.

Local law enforcement agencies are also informing drivers there will be increased patrols throughout the weekend in an effort to prevent driving under the influence. There will also be a DUI checkpoint in La Quinta Friday night at an undisclosed location, according to the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department.