BATON ROUGE, LA - The Department of Transportation and Development encourages motorists to use caution when traveling on roadways this weekend. Recently, many areas throughout the state have received several inches of rainfall. The National Weather Service is predicting the possibility for additional rainfall throughout the state.
Motorists should watch for flooded roadways and avoid driving into standing or running water.
Drivers should also follow these tips when driving during and after a rainfall event:
slow down, be attentive, and avoid driving distracted
allow for extra driving time and additional room between vehicles
reduce speeds when visibility is low
As always, DOTD reminds motorists to buckle up and refrain from drinking and driving.
Motorists are encouraged to check the status of road conditions prior to beginning commutes by utilizing the following resources for the latest information regarding road conditions:
• MyDOTD: Motorists can receive automatic and up-to-date information on local projects, lane and road closures, and other DOTD activity by signing up for MyDOTD at www.dotd.la.gov.
• 511 Traveler Information: Travelers can also find information regarding road closures by visiting the 511 Traveler Information website at www.511la.org or by dialing 511 from their telephone and saying the route or region about which they are seeking information. Out-of-state travelers can access the system by calling 1-888-ROAD-511 (1-888-762-3511).
• Way to Geaux smartphone application: The app can be downloaded on any iPhone or Android device by visiting either the iTunes App Store, or Google Play.