Drivers should expect heavy traffic and more patrols on Georgia roads during Labor Day weekend. Thousands of Georgians are expected to travel.
What’s happening: Georgia State Patrol troopers and commercial vehicle officers will patrol interstates and other roads during the 78-hour holiday travel period. The patrols will run from 6 p.m. Sept. 4 through 11:59 p.m. Sept. 7, with officers watching for drunk driving, speeding, seat belt violations, distracted driving and other unsafe behavior.
When to travel: INRIX lists these as the best and worst times to drive:
- Thursday, Sept. 3: Best before 1 p.m.; worst from 2 to 7 p.m.
- Friday, Sept. 4: Best before noon; worst from noon to 8 p.m.
- Saturday, Sept. 5: Best before 10 a.m.; worst from 1 to 5 p.m.
- Sunday, Sept. 6: Little effect from traffic is expected.
- Monday, Sept. 7: Best before noon; worst from 2 to 5 p.m.
Safety reminders: Drivers should wear seat belts, use the right car seat or booster seat for children and arrange a safe ride after drinking. They should also stay off their phones, leave enough room to stop and allow extra time for holiday traffic.
Speeding leaves drivers less time to react and increases the risk and severity of a crash. Drivers should also stay out of large trucks’ blind spots and avoid sudden lane changes in front of them.
Last Labor Day: Troopers investigated 359 crashes during the 2025 holiday period. Those crashes left 238 people hurt and 10 dead. Including deaths handled by local police, 15 people died statewide. Troopers also made 435 arrests for driving under the influence.
If you need help: Call 911 after a crash or during a road emergency. Drivers can call *GSP to report someone who appears to be driving drunk or recklessly.
B.T. Clark is the Publisher of The Georgia Sun and author of Principles Are Like Pants… You Ought to Have Some. Over two decades in journalism, he has served as Managing Editor of Neighbor Newspapers in metro Atlanta and Digital Director at Times-Journal Inc., earning multiple awards along the way. His work has appeared in newspapers across the state, including The Cherokee Tribune and The Marietta Daily Journal.
- B.T. Clark
- B.T. Clark
- B.T. Clark
- B.T. Clark
