SYLACAUGA, Ala. – Extra precautions were taken by the Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) and the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) during the Christmas and New Year’s travel period after Thanksgiving travel left at least 14 people dead in Alabama.
For many families, that number did not get any smaller during the Christmas season. According to ALEA, 31 individuals died in State Trooper-investigated crashes from Dec. 16. to Jan. 1. The same travel period in 2015 resulted in 26 Trooper-investigated traffic fatalities.
“One of the worst parts of a Trooper’s job is to investigate a deadly crash and notify family members, especially during what should be a festive time,” said Secretary of Law Enforcement Stan Stabler.
Fatalities included 20 drivers, six passengers, a motorcyclist, an ATV operator, and one UTV operator with two passengers. Twenty-nine of the people killed had access to a seat belt but ALEA said only seven were buckled up.
The holiday season was not the only time period in 2016 that had a significant increase in traffic related deaths. In fact, the entire year of 2016 saw a spike. 2015 ended with 527 Trooper-investigated traffic deaths. 2016 finished with an overwhelming 671, counting only the crashes investigated by State Troopers.
Jeremy Law for SylacaugaNews.com | © 2017, SylacaugaNews.com/Marble City Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
