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Alabama Department of Transportation has announced that to favor Independence Day travel there will be no lane closures or active construction on Alabama interstates after noon July 3 through midnight July 4.

ALDOT advises Alabama drivers to allow for extra travel time, since work zone materials and reduced speed limits will remain in effect.

Numerous work projects are currently located along Interstates 65 and 85.

“As Alabama highways fill with travelers around the Independence Day holiday, ALDOT is asking motorists to make safety the priority,” Allison Green, Drive Safe Alabama coordinator of ALDOT said. “While traffic delays are frustrating, making frequent or unsafe lane changes and tailgating increase your risk of causing a crash and don’t make a significant difference in how quickly you arrive.”

According to the report, national statistics indicate that motorists account for four out of every five work-zone fatalities.

The following are ALDOT safe driving tips for work zones:

• Know before you go. Check ALGOTraffic.com to find out if there are construction work zones along your path and allow extra time to navigate those areas.
• Pay attention. Do not drive distracted by texting, eating or other activities that take your hands off the wheel. Look for reduced speed limits, narrow driving lanes and highway workers.
• Slow down. If you are speeding, you may encounter slowed or stopped traffic within seconds.
• Make sure everyone in your vehicle is wearing a seat belt. Surviving a crash is much more likely when wearing a seat belt. Latest stats from Drive Safe Alabama show that almost 60 percent of people dying in crashes on Alabama highways are not wearing a seat belt.

Alabama traffic and road conditions can be followed online at ALGOTraffic.com or by downloading the ALGO Traffic app, according to ALDOT.

For more information about ALDOT, visit drivesafealabama.org.