The Clanton Police Department is working to make roads in Chilton County safer and received a Traffic Highway Safety Council Grant through ADECA to place extra officers on the streets during the Labor Day holiday weekend.

The purpose of the grant is to look for aggressive driving, reduce traffic crashes and make the roads in Chilton County safer.

CPD worked 496 roadway accidents in 2010, 341 in 2011, 310 in 2012 and 217 so far this year.

“Our traffic crashes are beginning to increase this year and we will step up our efforts to look for driving behaviors that contribute to traffic crashes like DUI, aggressive driving, speed, texting and distracted driving,” CPD Chief Brian Stilwell said in a release. “The Clanton Police Department wants everyone to have a safe and happy Labor Day weekend.”

Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) also urges motorists to drive safely when traveling over the Labor Day holiday.

Highway travel during the holiday weekend is expected to be heavy in Alabama during the three-day holiday weekend and as the college football season begins.

As an added precaution during the heavily traveled holiday, ALDOT said there would be no temporary lane closures on Alabama interstates from noon Friday through midnight Sept. 2.

Limiting roadwork during this busy holiday period is a safety measure for the traveling public, construction industry workers and maintenance crews. Throughout the year, ALDOT limits road construction during major holiday weekends. Emergency lane closures may be possible dependent on specific circumstances on interstates and other state roadways.

During the 2012 Labor Day 78-hour holiday period (Aug. 31 at 6 p.m.-Sept. 3 at 11:59 p.m.) 11 people died in vehicle crashes on Alabama roadways.