Preparing for Labor Day travel and safety on the roadways

SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC) – It’s almost time to pack up the car and get going on your Labor Day holiday trip.

But before you go, there are a few steps you can take to make your trip go smooth.

Of course, anything with your car can happen but the main two things that can cause issues are your car batteries and your tires.

Firestone on Skidaway Road says they have started to see an uptick of people coming in ahead of the holiday weekend to get a safety check on their cars.

They are seeing some batteries failing due to the high temperatures and also issue with tires.

It’s not only important to make sure your tires are inflated all the way for your safety but also to save you some cash on your road trip.

“So a 30 miles per gallon vehicle, if the tire pressure it just three pounds low, it can cause the vehicle to lose up to three to five miles per gallon on fuel efficiency,” said Firestone Store Manager in Savannah Drew Pait.

Even though prices are dropping, the national average is 3.82 a gallon, it’s lower than that in South Carolina with an average of 3.45 a gallon and in Georgia the average is even lower at 3.36 a gallon.

So take a few minutes today to fill up those tires, get your battery checked and have a safe trip if you are hitting the road this weekend.

AAA is working to keep impaired drivers off the road for Labor Day weekend.

The Auto Club is reactivating its “Tow to Go” program.

When called, AAA will dispatch a tow truck to pick up drivers and their vehicles.

They’ll take you anywhere in a 10 mile radius.

It’ll be active starting at 6 P.M. Friday and run through Tuesday morning.

The service is free, but AAA asks that you only use it as a last resort.

It should also be noted the service is not available in South Carolina.

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