'Terrible Traffic Tuesday' marks end of summer, beginning of congestion along area roads

The dog days of summer are over! It's time to head back to the daily grind! And today - known as 'Terrible Traffic Tuesday' - is one of the worst days to be a commuter in the D.C. region.

The infamous name for the Tuesday after Labor Day comes from the fact that highways and transit lines traditionally experience heavier than usual congestion as students and workers get back to their regular schedules.

The commute is generally at its worst during the morning and evening rush hours. The heavy congestion typically causes backups along parts of the inner and outer-loops of Interstate-495 and near interchanges involving Interstates 95, 270, 66, 395 and 295.

According to AAA Mid-Atlantic, these areas are the ones to avoid:

I-270 in Maryland from Capital Beltway (I-495) to I-70

I-66 from Potomac River (DC) to US-17

I-395 from the Springfield Interchange or the "Mixing Bowl" (I-495) to the Third Street Tunnel

Virginia State Route 267 from I-66 to the Leesburg Bypass

The Capital Beltway Counterclockwise (Outer Loop)

The Capital Beltway Clockwise (Inner Loop)

I-295 (including I-695) from I-495 to the Third Street Tunnel

School systems around the area are also putting into place new safety measures designed to protect students walking and riding the bus to school. Officials remind drivers to always stop for stopped school buses loading and unloading passengers. Drivers who pass stopped school buses could face citations. In Montgomery County, officials hope to outfit all school buses with stop sign cameras that will photograph drivers who illegally pass while stopped.

Stay on top of the 'Terrible Traffic Tuesday' congestion with tips from FOX 5's Erin Como!