‘Tis the season for holiday travel. With more vehicles on the highways, the Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT) wants to help keep your holidays merry and bright by limiting travel delays caused by highway construction and offering a few holiday travel tips.

MDOT will suspend all interstate and four-lane highway construction during peak Christmas and New Year’s travel times. All road construction requiring lane closures will stop December 24 and resume on January 2. The closures will provide maximum travel capacity and minimal construction delays for holiday travelers.

“Although no highway construction work will occur across the state, motorists should be aware that some lane closures will remain in place,” said Brad White, MDOT Executive Director. “These lane closures are there to protect motorists, and MDOT urges drivers to always treat these areas as active work zones, even though workers may not be present.”

No matter your Christmas or New Year’s destination, safety should be your top priority. MDOT offers these tips for safe driving this holiday season:

• Plan ahead. The MDOT Traffic mobile app shows real-time road conditions along your travel route.
• Get plenty of rest before driving. Remember to plan frequent stops if traveling long distances.
• Buckle up. Seat belt use is one of the easiest and most effective ways to save lives and reduce injuries from a possible crash.
• Always use caution in work zones. Maintenance workers also want to make it home safely to their families for the holidays.
• Watch out for wildlife. Cooler temperatures mean deer and other wildlife are more active near highways. Use extra caution if traveling during dusk and dawn.
• Do not drive impaired. If you do plan to drink, make sure you have a designated driver.