Most Augusta area travelers will not be affected by Hurricane Earl this Labor Day weekend.

The Category 4 storm was expected to hit North Carolina on Thursday, travel north along the Atlantic coast and reach Boston by Saturday and Sunday, according to Jeff Linton, forecaster for the National Weather Service's Columbia station.

Beachgoers headed to South Carolina, Georgia and Florida should still watch out for rip currents and above normal surf conditions, though.

"If you do swim, be extremely cautious. If you get caught in a rip current, swim parallel to the shore," Linton said.

AAA expects Labor Day travel in Georgia to increase 7.1 percent this year, even though gas prices are 7 cents higher nationally. Gasoline in Georgia is expected to cost between $2.55 and $2.65 for regular unleaded.

Lynda Hines, branch manager of AAA of Augusta said Atlanta has been the most booked destination for travelers from the Augusta area.

"A lot of people are planning short visits with family or friends, either a day trip or overnight," she said. "But, the Atlanta Aquarium is having a special, so we are seeing a lot of people go there, or to Atlanta's World of Coke attraction."

Also popular are Savannah or Charleston city tours and trips to Florida's Universal Studios and Disney World, she said.

Along Georgia highways, the Department of Transportation will suspend construction-related lane closures from 5 a.m. Friday through 5 a.m. Tuesday. But, crews could still be working close to highways and several long-term closures will remain in place.

Also, this year AAA is urging motorists to check car batteries before hitting the road. Calls related to dead batteries have spiked over the past decade, the organization reported.

Summer heat taxes batteries and modern devices like cell phones, iPods and navigation systems, all compete with cars' regular systems for battery power.