State Troopers: Labor Day weekend sees 8 traffic fatalities

Troopers with the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency investigated eight traffic-related fatalities over the Labor Day weekend.

That’s two fewer than in 2022, when 10 people died in traffic-related fatalities.

No fatalities were reported on Alabama’s waterways.

The fatal crashes happened in Montgomery, Marion, Marshall, Cullman, Washington, Randolph, Tuscaloosa and Lawrence counties.

Of the eight deaths, four people were not wearing seat belts, one involved an all-terrain vehicle and another was driving a motorcycle but was wearing a helmet.

One driver was wearing a seat belt and the final death it could not be determined if a seat belt was worn.

“While the Agency noticed a decrease in traffic fatalities this Labor Day weekend, our goal is always zero lives lost,” said ALEA Secretary Hal Taylor. “The loss of a loved one is always devastating, however, when the loss is a child, it impacts families in a way that changes them forever. As a parent, I cannot imagine the horror of losing a child at such a young age. I would like to extend my deepest sympathies to all the families who lost loved ones over this most recent holiday weekend.”

During the Labor Day weekend, local law enforcement agencies responded to two separate traffic crashes, one fatally injuring a 16-year-old student from Albertville High School in Marshall County and another fatally injuring a 15-year-old Calera High School student in Shelby County.

On Monday, Sept. 4, ALEA Troopers investigated another fatal crash in Lawrence County involving a 16-year-old driver of Harvest.

“Every year when school begins, we see a surge of students getting their Alabama Driver and Learners Licenses,” said ALEA Department of Public Safety Director Col. Jon Archer. “We highly recommend that parents get involved and have a firm talk with their teenagers before they hit the road. Sadly, due to their inexperience and limited skills, teens are more prone to traffic accidents.”

Archer said ALEA always encourages parents to help their children practice driving, go over the rules of the road and set a positive example.

While there were no fatal marine-related wrecks, the four-day period did include three boating crashes. Two of those happened on Logan Martin Lake and the other happened on Smith Lake.

“Our Marine Patrol Division works diligently to take every opportunity to educate the public whether it is during a patrol stop, vessel check or at a public safety event. They have done an outstanding job educating and patrolling the waterways during the busiest weekends of the year; however, this success would not be possible without the assistance and care of each boater,” Secretary Taylor said.

Additionally, ALEA’s Aviation Unit partnered with the cities of Gulf Shores and Orange Beach to patrol beaches from the air and to assist with rescuing swimmers in distress.

During the extended weekend, ALEA pilots responded to assist two swimmers and performed around 10 beach safety flights.