As Tar Heels hit the road for the last major summer holiday, law enforcement agencies are gearing up to make sure those roads are safe.

First Sergeant G.L. Bell of the N.C. Highway Patrol District offices in Whiteville said troopers will be out in force, working with local agencies to get unsafe drivers off the road.

"Labor Day is always one of our busiest times," said Bell. "We want to make it one of the safest, too. We're going to work hard to make it an uneventful weekend."

Click It or Ticket seatbelt checkpoints will be set up through the weekend, Bell said, checking for drunk drivers and seat belt usage. The weekend is considered to officially begin Friday at 6 p.m. and continue through midnight Monday.

With more travelers driving rather than flying, Bell said the potential for accidents is also increasing.

"We just want to encourage everyone to buckle up and slow down," he said. "Give yourself plenty of travel time."

Troopers will be working the five major highways in the state as well as the busiest local corridors, including U.S. 701 and N.C. 87.

"We'll have everyone in the Patrol out this weekend," Bell said.

Last year, the Highway Patrol investigated 1,615 crashes statewide. The accidents involved 1,128 injuries and 23 fatalities during the Labor Day weekend.

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