Memorial Day weekend is here and if you’re headed out of town you probably have your travel plans all wrapped up by now.

Hopefully those plans already include some safety preparations … if not, here are a few things to think about before hitting the road!

• Check out your vehicle’s condition before a trip. Inspect things like tire condition and pressure, oil and other fluid levels and inspect belts and hoses.
• Pay attention while out on the road and expect the unexpected.
• Get plenty of rest before traveling and take regular rest breaks.
• Be patient and alert to changing road conditions … and buckle up!
• If your vehicle breaks down or you need to change a flat tire, pull completely off the roadway. Be cautious in areas with taller grass or brush – hot vehicle components can spark a fire.
• Don’t drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs (even prescription drugs can limit your ability to safely operate a motor vehicle).
• Cell phones or satellite devices help in an emergency – make sure they are fully charged.
• Obey the posted speed limit and check for changing speed limit conditions.
• Signal in advance for lane changes and turning maneuvers.
• Take plenty of food and water.
• Slow down in areas known for high winds and dust storms and be prepared to exit the roadway if extreme weather conditions occur. Weather conditions can change and monsoon storms can arrive suddenly, creating dust-filled winds and cutting visibility along the highway up ahead.

It’s always a good idea to allow some extra travel time, too. Unscheduled closures due to crashes or other incidents, including wildfires, can affect highway travel. Existing work zones for highway improvement projects, even when work is not taking place over holiday weekends, can add time spent on the road.

A couple of existing highway work zones to be aware of – especially at the start and end of the Memorial Day weekend – are located along Interstate 10 at the Hassayampa River bridges 40 miles west of downtown Phoenix and at the Interstate 17 bridges at Munds Park 20 miles south of Flagstaff. The highways are narrowed to one lane in each direction at those locations.

One last thing … before your trip you can call 5-1-1 or log on to ADOT’s Traveler Information site at az511.gov to check on updated highway conditions around the state.

A call to the Arizona Department of Transportation might not be the first you’d make during an emergency ... but in some situations, an ADOT crew could be your best hope for help.

Take for example a call that came in to the Show Low highway maintenance dispatch office back on Dec. 31 at around 10:30 p.m. An Arizona Department of Public Safety officer's vehicle was stuck in the snow on Highway 191 in the far southeastern portion of the state.

ADOT highway operation tech Frank Gidney was on duty, so he and his snowplow headed out in that direction.

Once Gidney reached the scene he learned the DPS officer had actually been called to help a family – stuck in the snow and out of fuel.

Frank’s snowplow started to clear the way again as he and the officer took off toward the family’s reported location. They soon were joined by ADOT highway operation tech Lonnie Baca, who also was driving a snowplow.

At about 3:30 a.m. the three men made it to the stranded family, which included five young children. Weather conditions at that time were very severe ... it was about -24 degrees and the snow was roughly four feet high.

Miraculously, everyone was okay.

“There was ice on the inside of the windows of the (family’s) vehicle,” Gidney said.

“They said they couldn’t thank us enough,” Baca added.

The ADOT crew and DPS officer managed to get fuel for the family’s vehicle and assisted them in making it back to a hotel in nearby Alpine.

This was not an everyday highway maintenance call ... that’s for sure.

“You run into people who are stuck, but not a desperate situation like this,” Gidney said. “Lonnie and I feel there’s nothing we did that anyone else wouldn’t have done.”

Even though they're modest about the life-saving assistance they provided, Baca and Gidney’s co-workers definitely feel they are heroes.

In fact, the two were awarded ADOT Life-Saving Awards on April 28.

ADOT Director John Halikowski, State Engineer Floyd Roehrich, Jr. and Deputy State Engineer Dallas Hammit traveled to Globe to present the awards and offer their thanks.

"It's important work that you do," Director Halikowski told the two, along with their fellow highway operation techs, during the awards presentation. "Thank you."

This content was revised September 2022.

Take an easy step to protect your child in case of an emergency: Get them their an Arizona ID card.

These cards, available through the Motor Vehicle Division, look much like a drivers license. However, they’re used for identification purposes only. All ages are eligible – even babies. The cost is $12. You’ll need your child’s social security number and a few forms of identification to your nearest MVD office.

You can start the application online through your secure AZ MVD Now account, then bring your child to an MVD or MVD authorized third party office with appropriate documentation. (Please visit our website to see the full list of acceptable forms of identification.)

Having an Arizona ID card can help law enforcement agencies to rapidly distribute your child’s information and photograph in case of an Amber Alert. They can also protect your child against identity theft.

And, don’t forget: Update your child’s information and photo as they grow! Photo updates are available at MVD offices – a duplicate card with the new photo is $12.

Arizona dust storms sometimes hit suddenly, without much notice at all.

Drivers can be caught very quickly in a blinding wall of dust and debris that leaves almost no visibility. While these storms typically happen between May and September, motorists should be aware year-round of the potential danger these high-wind storms create.

On average, nearly five people lose their lives in Arizona each year because of accidents related to dust storms. Many more are injured.

If you are driving during dust storm season in Arizona be sure to listen to weather reports and check current road conditions before you leave on your trip.

Here are some guidelines for traveling in dust storms:

• Travel at a speed suitable for limited visibility
• NEVER stop in the travel lane
• If you can’t pull off the road, turn your lights on
• Sound your horn intermittently
• Use the painted lane striping to guide you
• If possible, look for a safe place to pull off the road.

If you are able to safely pull off the road, observe the following safety tips:

• Set your emergency brake
• Take your foot off the brake pedal
• Turn off all vehicle lights
• Wait out the storm

When you return to the road, be aware that it may be slippery and in some cases, pavement markings may be obscured by sand and dust blown on the road. View more on dust storms in Arizona.