The holiday travel season is upon us and officials with the Minnesota Department of Transportation urge drivers to use caution and be safe on the roadways.

“The holidays are a busy time on our Minnesota roadways,” said Commissioner Charlie Zelle. “Our plow drivers will do their part to keep our roads safe, but motorists should plan ahead and drive according to the road conditions.”

Because weather can change quickly during this time of year, MNDOT urges motorists to check 511 travel information when planning their holiday trips. MNDOT’s 511 travel information service provides road and winter driving conditions for the entire state and links to official weather information from the National Weather Service. 511 is available online at 511mn.org and by dialing 5-1-1. Motorists also may download a free 511 application to get the same information on their smartphones and other mobile devices.

Motorists should note that the new winter road descriptions are ‘normal,’ ‘partially covered,’ ‘completely covered,’ ‘travel not advised’ and ‘closed.’ The descriptions are defined on the 511 website.

Safety experts agree that taking rest breaks is important, especially on long trips. Most of Minnesota’s rest areas are open and available 24 hours per day, seven days per week. For a complete listing of rest areas and their availability visit state.mn.us/restareas.

For safe driving at any time of the year, MNDOT advises motorists to:

  • Stay alert, especially at night
  • Buckle up
  • Obey posted speed limits, and drive for the conditions
  • Avoid distractions; stay off cell phones and mobile devices
  • Move over one lane, if possible, or reduce speed for stopped emergency or maintenance vehicles, including ambulance, fire, law enforcement or maintenance and construction vehicles.

 

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