BATON ROUGE - Officials are reminding people to put safety first as millions of Americans hit the roads and head to the water for the Labor Day holiday.

AAA expects heavy highway congestion throughout the weekend. Drivers are urged to leave early, avoid distractions and never drive impaired.

For those heading to the lake, officials say life jackets should be kept on hand. Drownings remain the leading cause of boating accidents.

For backyard cookouts, grills should be kept at least 10 feet away from structures to prevent fire hazards.

Abigail Whitam with 2une In spoke with the Baton Rouge Fire Department and EMS for more tips.