As the summer season reaches its peak, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency’s (ALEA) is releasing highway and marine patrol enforcement results from the Fourth of July travel period, which began at 12:01 a.m. on Thursday, July 3, and concluded at 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, July 6.
Throughout the extended holiday weekend, all available ALEA Troopers were actively patrolling on Alabama’s roadways and waterways with a clear focus: to save lives through proactive enforcement and education.
Troopers assigned to ALEA’s Marine Patrol Division worked diligently to ensure boaters operated safely and within the law. Over the four-day period, seven boating accidents were investigated (occurring on Lake Martin, Smith Lake, Logan Martin Lake, Guntersville Lake, Lake Eufaula and Coden Bayou), with zero boating fatalities reported. One non-boating fatality (drowning) was reported on July 5, at Chickasabogue Creek in Mobile County. Enforcement efforts resulted in:
•749 Vessel Stops
•223 Citations Issued
•1,074 Warnings Issued
•8 Boating Under the Influence (BUI) Arrests
Most common violations included: Failing to Register/Properly Display Registration, Operating a Vessel Without a License, Insufficient Personal Flotation Devices, Improper Navigation Lights, Careless Operation and Failure to Use Emergency Cut-Off Switch.
ALEA Troopers also focused on educating the public and enforcing Alabama’s newest boating safety laws. During the weekend:
•83 Warnings were issued to non-residents operating without required certification
•77 Warnings were issued for violations of Alabama’s Proximity Law
•5 Warnings were issued for Wake Sport Violations, specific to five Alabama lakes (ShoalCreek, Lake Martin, Lake Wedowee, Smith Lake and Weiss Lake)
During the holiday travel period, Troopers assigned to ALEA’s Highway Patrol Division responded to 314 traffic crashes that resulted in 155 injuries and 12 fatalities. The fatal crashes occurred in Dekalb, Mobile, Dale, Greene, Blount, Cleburne, Cullman and Montgomery counties. Additionally, enforcement efforts resulted in:
•2,826 Speeding Citations Issued
•394 Seat Belt Citations Issued
•19 Driving Under the Influence (DUI) Arrests
ALEA Secretary Hal Taylor said, “Our thoughts and heartfelt condolences are with the families and loved ones of those who lost their lives during the holiday weekend. Every life lost is a tragic reminder of why our mission is critical. At ALEA, we are committed to doing everything within our power to prevent such tragedies through education, enforcement and tireless dedication to public safety on both the waterways and roadways.”
Colonel Jonathan Archer, Director of ALEA’s Department of Public Safety (DPS) agreed and said, “While our Troopers are encouraged that there were no boating fatalities and that most Alabamians celebrated responsibly, 12 lives lost on our roadways is 12 too many. The mission of ALEA remains the same—protecting life, property and the motoring public. As we move through the remainder of the summer travel season, we urge everyone to remain focused on safety. Wear your seat belt, obey speed limits, never operate a vehicle or vessel under the influence and always remain aware of your surroundings.”
ALEA will continue statewide enforcement operations and public safety initiatives throughout the summer, especially during high-traffic weekends, in hopes of reducing crashes, injuries and fatalities across Alabama.
For more information on boating and highway safety, visit www.ALEA.gov.
