The 78-hour Labor Day holiday travel period begins Friday, September 4, at 6 p.m. and ends at midnight on Monday (Labor Day), September 7.

According to Bill Hitchens, commissioner of the Georgia Department of Public Safety, traffic on Georgia roads is expected to be heavy. "A number of events across the state will contribute to making this a busy holiday period."

Traffic predictions from the Georgia State Patrol (GSP) and the Georgia Department of Transportation's (DOT) Crash Reporting Unit include 1,725 traffic crashes, 975 injuries, and 18 traffic deaths. Last year, during the 78-hour holiday period, there were 1,660 traffic crashes reported across the state, resulting in 798 injuries and 19 fatalities.

Alcohol and drugs were usually identified as major contributing factors in these accidents, and approximately half of the crash victims were unbuckled when they died.

To help make Georgia's roads safer, the Lincolnton Police Department and the Lincoln County Sheriff's Office will once again join other law enforcement agencies across the state for the Labor Day Operation Zero Tolerance (OZT) Campaign, sponsored by the Governor's Office of Highway Safety (GOHS).

Labor Day 2009 marks the fourth consecutive year that Georgia has mobilized thousands of law enforcement officers to conduct high visibility sobriety checkpoints and concentrated patrols throughout the state as part of a national DUI enforcement campaign.

Operation Zero Tolerance, as the campaign is known in Georgia, means "Over the Limit, Under Arrest," stated Bob Dallas, director of the GOHS. "OZT means you never receive just a warning or a citation. Impaired motorists caught driving at or over the 0.08 blood alcohol limit are arrested.

"In Georgia, it's not about writing more tickets — it's about saving more lives," the director continued. "We hope every driver will heed our warning."

A few tips for ensuring safer highways this Labor Day are as follows:

.. To report drivers, who are possibly impaired, contact the nearest Georgia State Patrol Post by dialing "star G-S-P" (*477).

.. Remember that a buckled seatbelt offers the best protection against a drunk driver.

.. Friends should never let friends drive drunk.

.. Before Labor Day festivities begin, designate a sober driver.

.. Do not drive and talk on the phone at the same time. Using a cell phone while driving can increase the risk of having an accident. The risk can be similar for "hands-off" phones.

.. Go with the flow. Keep up with traffic if conditions permit. A wide disparity in speeds is dangerous.

.. "Yield anyway! Nobody every yielded their way into a collision."

.. Don't drive while you're sleepy. If your eyes tend to stay focused on one spot, that's a danger sign. Pull over as soon as you find a safe place and nap for a few minutes.

.. Brake at the right time. Slow down to a safe speed before you enter a turn. Hard braking in mid-corner can upset the car's balance.

.. Always signal your intentions — lane changes as well as turns.

.. Know your blind spots.

.. Don't speed.

.. Be a loner. Avoid clumps of cars on the highway so you do not become involved in someone else's accident.

.. Slow down when it is raining.

.. Do not follow too closely.

.. Protect your night vision. Don't stare at approaching headlights. If you're being blinded, focus on the right shoulder of the road.

(Editor's note: Sources for the safety tips above include the Governor's Office of Highway Safety; the Georgia Department of Public Safety; Robert Schaller, a defensive driving teacher; and Consumer Reports.org.)