Nine motorists die during holiday
By Staff
An effort to reduce traffic fatalities in Alabama appears to have paid off.
Troopers reported nine traffic deaths in Alabama during the 102-hour holiday travel period from 6 p.m. Nov. 21 through midnight Nov. 25.
A total of 19 traffic deaths - 12 rural and seven urban - occurred in Alabama last year during the Thanksgiving travel period.
Public Safety Director Col. J. Christopher Murphy said alcohol involvement and lack of restraint use was a factor in many of the holiday period deaths. Preliminary reports indicate at least five of the nine deaths were alcohol related, and four of the crash victims were not using safety restraints.
The official holiday travel period capped a week-long tri-state, Take Back Our Highways traffic safety campaign, Nov. 19-25. Troopers reported a reduction in rural crashes and injuries in Alabama for the week. A six-fatality, alcohol-related crash on the first day of the initiative contributed to a week-long total of 21 fatalities - an increase from 17 rural traffic deaths during a similar period in 2006.
The week-long, concentrated highway safety effort - Take Back Our Highways - joined Alabama troopers, sheriff and police departments statewide, and troopers in Tennessee and Mississippi. Public Safety Director Col. J. Christopher Murphy acknowledged the role of all who participated in the tri-state effort to promote traffic safety during the year’s busiest travel period.
Preliminary reports from both Mississippi and Tennessee indicated a decrease in traffic deaths during the Thanksgiving holiday travel period. The Tennessee Highway Patrol reported five traffic deaths during the 102-hour period - a decrease from 20 last year. Mississippi reported one death for the period, down from five last year.
Trooper enforcement activity for the week included 170 DUI arrests compared with 95 last year, and 2,214 seat belt and child restraint citations compared with 1,120 last year.
Non-traffic arrests included drug-related offenses and outstanding warrants. Troopers also seized more than $100,000 in drug-related money during the campaign.
