PIERRE- More travelers are checking road and weather conditions before deciding to drive in South Dakota, according to a news release from the South Daktoa Department of Transportation.

The department's 511 Traveler Information System logged more than 1million requests in 2007, the most ever for the five-year old system.

"We want to give travelers the best information available so they can make safe travel decisions," DOT Secretary Darin Bergquist said . "The 511 system provides motorists with several tools to use when deciding if they should head out on the road. We're thrilled that so many travelers are taking advantage of the service."

The free 511 Traveler Information System provides road conditions, weather reports and forecasts by phone and the Internet throughout the state.

About 60 percent of the 1,080,858 requests came through the online version at www.SafeTravelUSA.com/sd.

Last month, the department expanded the online service by adding camera images of Interstate highways. Thirty cameras provide snapshots of the roadway at 19 locations along I-29 and I-90, taken at 10-minute intervals. Travelers can access links to the camera views by clicking on "Cameras" found towards the top left of the Web page. Over this winter and next, the department plans to add between 20 and 30 more cameras, including many on non-Interstate highways.

South Dakota was the fifth state in the nation to establish its statewide 511 service. Since it was introduced in November 2002, the system has provided information for over 2.5 million requests.

511 is a free service from any cell phone, landline or Internet connection. Both the online version and the call-in 511 number also provide information for several neighboring states, including North Dakota, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska and Kansas.