The Complete Labor Day Safety Guide: 9 Ways To Protect Your Family, Home and Vehicle

Practice Labor Day safety by staying alert and taking precautions to avoid injuries and property damage from various risks you could face over the holiday weekend, such as an increase in drunk drivers, high heat, food poisoning and fires. While smart preparation can help you and your family stay safe this Labor Day, it’s also worth considering how different types of insurance can cover unexpected costs if you run into trouble.

Labor Day safety includes various ways to avoid risks that could lead to injuries and property damage over the holiday weekend, such as drunk driving accidents, house fires from grills and home break-ins while you’re on a road trip.

Anyone looking to take part in Labor Day activities should read on to learn the importance of safety during fun holiday weekend activities, as well as how different types of insurance can protect you from unexpected costs.

On This Page

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  Why Labor Day Weekend Brings Higher Safety Risks

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  What Are the Most Important Labor Day Safety Tips?

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  Labor Day Road Trip Safety Tips

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  Backyard BBQ and Grill Safety

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  Pool, Lake and Boat Safety

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  Home Protection While Traveling

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  Outdoor Safety in Late Summer

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  Food Safety for Labor Day Cookouts

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  Camping and Fire Safety

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  Labor Day Fireworks Safety

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  Labor Day Pet Safety

• 

  Labor Day Safety at a Glance

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  Labor Day Safety Checklist

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  Frequently Asked Questions

Why Labor Day Weekend Brings Higher Safety Risks

Labor Day weekend regularly brings higher safety risks because traffic congestion increases as people travel to and from events or take road trips. Often, these drivers are impaired or fatigued from holiday celebrations, which can lead to poor driving decisions and increase the risk of an accident, especially with so many more cars on the road. Over 500 people died in crashes over Labor Day weekend in 2023, with alcohol impairment being a major factor in nearly 33% of the fatalities.^[1][2]

Many recreational activities common over Labor Day weekend, such as grilling, boating, swimming and fireworks, can bring significant risks of injury or property damage. Grilling, for example, results in over 5,700 home fires per year, peaking during the summer months but being largely preventable with safety and precautionary measures.^[3] Ensuring you take the right safety measures to reduce risk and get the essential insurance coverage you need to protect yourself can help you have a safer and more fun Labor Day celebration.

What Are the Most Important Labor Day Safety Tips?

Below are a few essential Labor Day safety tips to keep in mind while celebrating your holiday weekend:

• Heat can be deadly, so ensure you stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water throughout the day and take regular breaks from the heat. Reapply sunscreen every few hours while you’re outside, and wear light clothing.
• Do not mix alcohol with driving, as it can impair your decision-making and increase the risk of an accident. If you’re planning on going to an event or venue over the weekend, ensure you have a coordinated plan for how you’ll travel to avoid drinking and driving, such as using a taxi, rideshare service or having a designated driver.
• Keep a vehicle emergency kit in your car for road trips, and take frequent rest stops. Road hazards may increase due to heavy weekend traffic, so research routes to any venues or destinations ahead of time to plan the safest and most efficient route.
• Safety is essential when driving on Labor Day, just as on every other day of the year. Always use your seat belt while driving, even if you're only traveling a short distance. While 87% of drivers and passengers do use their seat belts, those who don’t account for nearly half of all traffic fatalities.^[4]
• Practice responsible grill safety and don’t leave the grill unattended, especially around children. Store food safely at the correct temperature to prevent spoilage, and separate raw and cooked foods.
• Ensure you or another sober designated adult are always supervising children around water, including pools, lakes or on a boat, as drownings can occur even in shallow waters. Never drink while operating a boat.
• Follow all local laws when setting off fireworks, and keep water nearby to help put them out when they’re done. Prevent children from setting off fireworks or playing with matches.

Labor Day Road Trip Safety Tips

Labor Day weekend often brings heavier traffic, which can increase the risk of accidents. While you’ll likely have at least a minimum amount of car insurance to cover yourself in the event of an accident, you may want to consider collision coverage to cover the cost of repairs to your own vehicle. Increasing your coverage limits for car insurance may also be a good idea, as more passengers traveling in other cars, like a family on a road trip or a group of friends coming back from a Labor Day cookout, could lead to more costs for medical treatments in the event of an accident.

The weekend often features celebratory events with alcohol, which often leads to a spike in drunk drivers.^[2] Watch for erratic driving behavior and stay away from those vehicles to help avoid getting into an accident.

If you’re planning on traveling over the weekend, you should research your route in advance and plan out roads that may be less congested to avoid bunching up with other cars. Consider purchasing roadside assistance to help tow your vehicle or change a flat tire if you run into issues while on a road trip. Keep an emergency kit in your car, including first aid materials, a flashlight, tire gauges and jumper cables, to help with issues you may have while on the road.

Backyard BBQ and Grill Safety

Never leave your grill unattended while cooking, as this could potentially lead to a house fire. Keep it well maintained, as grease buildup could cause an unexpected flare-up that could ignite furniture or an outdoor patio. To help avoid accidental flames and sparks that could start a blaze, keep the grill at least 10 feet from your home, any unattached structures and hanging tree branches.^[3]

Avoid letting children near a grill unsupervised, as it could lead to injury. Pets could also hurt themselves near your grill, so it may be best to keep them inside during outdoor activities. Ensure you have proper safety equipment, like a fire extinguisher, on hand in the event a small fire breaks out.

If you’re hosting an outdoor barbecue, ensure you have homeowners insurance with enough coverage to protect your home and personal belongings in the event of a fire. Medical payments coverage can also cover small medical bills related to burns if a guest or their child accidentally touches your grill while it’s in use.

Pool, Lake and Boat Safety

Avoid letting children swim without adult supervision, which could increase the risk of drowning. Likewise, it's safest never to swim alone in a pool or lake in the event you need assistance. If you’ve been drinking, it's likely best to avoid going in the water altogether, as alcohol lowers your coordination and impairs your judgment, making it more difficult to react if you face an emergency.^[5]

Similarly, you should avoid drinking while on a boat because alcohol can increase risky behavior and lead to fatal accidents. Always carry the correct safety equipment on board a boat, such as life jackets and first aid kits, in the event you get into an accident or are stranded on the water with an injury.^[5]

The personal liability coverage portion of your home insurance policy may take effect if someone is injured or drowns in your swimming pool. In addition, you need a health insurance plan that can cover emergency room visits and other medical treatments in case anyone in your household is injured over the holiday weekend.

Home Protection While Traveling

If you’re planning on taking a vacation and traveling over the Labor Day weekend, it’s important to make sure your home remains secure from burglars and vandalism while you are away. Examples of steps you can take to protect your home while you travel for Labor Day include the following:^[6]

• Ask mail services to hold your packages until you get back to avoid a potential porch pirate.
• Ask someone, such as a neighbor or nearby family member, to house-sit for you or look in on your home to ensure there haven’t been any issues.
• Check that all doors and windows are securely locked before you travel.
• Invest in a smart home device or home security system that lets you view your property, turn lights on and off or alert you if someone is trespassing.
• Avoid posting about your trip on social media until after you’ve returned home, as this may alert potential thieves that your home is empty.

Home insurance can help cover losses if your home is vandalized or broken into while you are on vacation during Labor Day weekend, such as damage to your home and stolen property. However, many policies enforce sublimits for jewelry and high-value collections, so you may not be fully covered for certain property thefts unless you purchase scheduled personal property coverage.^[7]

Outdoor Safety in Late Summer

Keep yourself safe outdoors during the Labor Day weekend, since summer temperatures may be high. Protect yourself from sun exposure by wearing lightweight clothing, staying in the shade and regularly applying sunscreen with at least SPF 15. Alcohol and caffeinated drinks can often dehydrate you, compounding the effects of summer sun, so ensure you drink plenty of water throughout the day, especially if you’re at an outdoor gathering where alcohol is involved.^[8]

Ensure you have proper health coverage to help with medical bills if you experience heat stroke and need to visit a hospital.

Food Safety for Labor Day Cookouts

Handle your food safely during outdoor cookouts and other Labor Day festivities, as improper storage could increase the risk of food poisoning. Roughly one in six Americans gets sick due to food poisoning each year, resulting in about 128,000 hospital visits. As food is often served outdoors during Labor Day’s summer weather, proper handling and storage are even more critical to prevent spoilage or contamination.^[4]

Following the four steps of food safety can help lower the risk of food poisoning:^[9]

• Clean: Clean your hands and surfaces regularly before they come into contact with cooked and raw food, and wash all fruits and vegetables before preparing a meal.
• Separate: Keep raw meat away from cooked food to prevent contamination.
• Cook: Cook food at the proper temperature, which varies by the type of meat used. For example, cook beef and pork to 145 degrees Fahrenheit, ground meats to 160 F, and poultry to 165 F.^[4]
• Chill: Refrigerate all perishable foods within 2 hours of initial preparation. Freezing won’t kill germs, but it will keep food safe until you can cook it.

Making sure you have health coverage can help reduce costs if you get sick due to food poisoning and need to visit a doctor, while personal liability insurance can cover the costs if you’re sued for serving a guest an undercooked meal that gives them food poisoning that sends them to the hospital.

Camping and Fire Safety

An accidental wildfire can easily start without proper care while camping, so keep fire safety equipment and materials, such as a portable fire extinguisher and water or sand, to douse flames that get out of control. Choosing a designated camping site for a Labor Day weekend getaway may be safest — these campgrounds often feature built-in campfire pits or grills that can be safer than building your own campfire from scratch. Avoid carelessly handling fuel and other flammable materials like lighter fluid and gasoline, as these can lead to uncontrolled fires that can damage property and injure you or someone else.

Health insurance can help pay for medical bills if you injure yourself on a campsite, while homeowners and renters insurance can cover damaged personal property — even while away from home. Consider getting RV insurance if you’re traveling in a trailer to go camping.

Labor Day Fireworks Safety

While fireworks may not be as common on Labor Day as the Fourth of July, the holiday weekend often features fireworks that can result in serious injuries if not properly handled.^[10] In 2025, fireworks resulted in at least 13,000 injuries and at least 15 deaths. Always ensure the fireworks you use are legally permitted in your area, follow safety guidelines, handle them sober and keep them out of children's hands.^[11]

Getting health insurance can help you cover the cost of treatment for fireworks-related injuries to yourself or your family, while personal liability insurance can cover you if your firework goes off improperly and damages a neighbor’s home or injures them due to your negligence.

Labor Day Pet Safety

While you may want to celebrate festivities alongside your fuzzy friends over Labor Day, it’s probably safest to leave them inside at home if you’re traveling or hosting an outdoor barbecue. Pets can easily knock over grills, get into dangerous garbage and other hazards, become overcome by the heat or accidentally injure a guest. Even if you aren’t doing anything at your own home, nearby parties could feature loud noises and strange smells that could stress out your pets, so it’s best to leave them somewhere safe inside.^[12]

Consider purchasing pet insurance to cover any injuries or illnesses if your pet gets into something they aren’t supposed to or if they panic because of nearby festivities. While homeowners and renters insurance may offer coverage for animal bites from your pets, certain breeds of dogs may be excluded and require separate animal liability insurance.^[13]

Labor Day Safety at a Glance

Below is essential information you should know about Labor Day safety:

• Labor Day frequently has more drivers on the road, many of them intoxicated, which can increase the risk of an accident.
• Many outdoor activities during Labor Day weekend can increase your risk of heat exposure, so protect yourself by staying hydrated and getting plenty of shade.
• Leave pets at home and indoors while celebrating over Labor Day weekend to keep them and guests safe.
• Home insurance can help cover losses from house fires due to a grill flare-up and stolen personal property while you’re away on a road trip.
• Avoid swimming alone, ensure children are supervised when in the water and never drive a boat while intoxicated.
• Handle food safely by separating raw and cooked meats and keeping them at the proper temperature before preparation, during cooking and during storage.

Labor Day Safety Checklist

Below, we’ll go over the main concerns you should consider to help you stay safe during Labor Day, including what types of insurance can help you:

• You have a designated driver if you plan on drinking.
• Clean your grill before a cookout, and keep it safely away from flammable materials.
• You have proper safety equipment before boating.
• Your home has a security system, or someone is house-sitting for you before you travel for the weekend.
• You are going out in light clothing with sunscreen and have plenty of water to stay hydrated.
• You are cooking with safe food that has been properly stored.
• You’re using a designated campground for any camping and have a portable fire extinguisher.
• You know what fireworks are legal in your area and how to use them responsibly.
• Your pet has a safe place to remain inside if you’re going out for Labor Day activities.