Highway officials urge Labor Day travelers to remain safe

The Missouri State Highway Patrol is reporting 5 deadly crashes on the roads this weekend. However, the counting does not end until midnight.

Last year the number of deadly crashes was 7.

According to AAA, this Labor Day weekend has the highest number of travelers since the recession.

Of the more than 34 million Labor Day travelers in the United States the majority are traveling farther than 50 miles from their homes.

That was the case at the rest stop in Kingdom City, Monday afternoon. Many travelers are expecting delays. Therefore, they used cellphone apps and the radio to avoid congestion.

“It is a social media app that lets me know when there is traffic ahead, and also if there is a cop ahead you can get an alert,” says Zach Christman, who was traveling to Chicago.

Regardless how long it is taking, during Labor Day weekend it is important to follow the traffic laws. Troopers say last year one person was killed or injured every 11 minutes in Missouri, and there were more than 1,000 traffic crashes during the holiday weekend.