Crashes claim 11 lives during holiday weekend

Published 10:08 am Thursday, June 2, 2016

Alabama Law Enforcement Agency officials described the Memorial Day holiday as deadly.

During the official Memorial Day holiday travel period, which began at 6 a.m. on May 27 and ended at midnight May 30, Alabama State Troopers investigated 11 traffic fatalities compared with the seven traffic fatalities Troopers investigated in 2015 during the same extended holiday weekend.

“This was a deadly Memorial Day weekend, with almost twice the number of traffic fatalities as the previous year,” Secretary of Law Enforcement Stan Stabler said.  “One death is one too many. We urge motorists to use seat belts no matter how short the drive.  It also is important that everyone on a boat has a life jacket. Please help us make this a safe summer.”

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The crashes included four drivers, three passengers and four motorcyclists, and they occurred in Bullock, Coosa, Crenshaw, Cullman, Houston, Mobile and Washington counties.

May 29 was the only zero-fatality day of the four-day weekend.  All four motorcyclists killed were using helmets, and only four of the other seven individuals killed were using seat belts.

Troopers have not determined if alcohol was a factor in the crashes. The crashes remain under investigation.

In addition, Marine Patrol Troopers had no boating fatalities for the second Memorial Day weekend in a row.