Every spring, traffic begins to swell in Northeast Michigan as snowbirds return home and summer cottagers make their pilgrimages to their getaways.

Things seem to crescendo around the Independence Day holiday and stay busy through August or September.

Coupled with road construction that clogs up the area’s byways in the summer, the increased traffic tends to yield increased traffic crashes, especially around detour routes.

But doing a little preparation before getting behind the wheel and making smart choices while in transit can help keep you safe.

Among the steps you should take:

– Give yourself a little extra time to get where you’re going, and travel slow in heavy traffic. Traffic snarls can slow you down whether you want them to or not, and trying to force a quicker speed in congestion can make it harder to react to other motorist and cause a dustup.

– Stay off your phone when you’re behind the wheel. It’s not only the law, it’s just plain smart to keep your phone away from you when you’re driving. You don’t need the distraction, especially during peak traffic times. While we’re at it, avoid eating behind the wheel, too, or doing anything other than paying attention to the road.

– Consider alternate routes. Out-of-towners and sometimes-in-towners don’t know the area like year-round residents and will tend to follow the posted detours. Using your local knowledge to find alternate routes can keep you from adding to congestion.

Those three steps could save you a lot of headache or perhaps even save your life.

Stay safe out there, Northeast Michigan.