As traffic picks up for the upcoming Labor Day weekend, so does the number of law enforcement officers patrolling the highways as part of the annual traffic blitz.

Between now and Labor Day, Covington County Sheriff’s Office deputies will be actively watching roadways for speeders and impaired drivers as part of the “Over the Limit, Under Arrest” traffic initiative.

“The beaches are clear and the roadways will be full,” Chief Deputy David Anderson said. “We started (the traffic blitz) on Aug. 20, and it will run through the Labor Day weekend. We’ll be doing a saturated patrol of the county where we are targeting speeders, people driving under the influence and seat belt and child safety restraint violations.”

To cover the additional expense associated with overtime for deputies, Anderson said the sheriff’s office was awarded a grant from the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs (ADECA), which is administered through the Southeast Alabama Regional Traffic and Safety Division.

“Our goal is to make sure people arrive to their holiday destinations safely, after all this is the last big holiday of the summer,” he said.