Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) officials reported that between 12:01 a.m. Friday, Aug. 29, and midnight Monday, Sept. 1 (Labor Day weekend), that ALEA highway troopers investigated 371 crashes, which resulted in 147 injuries. Six individuals lost their lives during the extended holiday period.
Fatal crashes occurred in Choctaw, Colbert, Lauderdale, Talladega, and Tuscaloosa counties and involved a motorcycle, an all-terrain vehicle (ATV), and an electric bicycle. None of the three riders were wearing helmets at the time of the crashes, and among the three other fatalities, only one individual was properly restrained with a seat belt.
Troopers also made 33 DUI arrests and issued: 473 citations for seat belt violations, 2,324 speeding tickets and 4,696 other citations for various traffic violations. Highway patrolmen also handed out 1,638 warnings for various traffic violations.
Marine Patrol Enforcement
During the same period, ALEA’s Marine Patrol Division investigated three boating incidents that resulted in four injuries, one each on Lake Martin, Neely Henry Lake, and the Intracoastal Waterway in Orange Beach.
While there were no boating fatalities or drownings, troopers who patrolled the state’s waterways issued 538 Marine Safety Warnings, issued 67 Marine Safety citations and conducted 310 vessel inspections. They also arrested one person for boating under the influence.
The single-vessel crash that occurred on Sunday, Aug. 31, on Lake Martin left a 12-year-old juvenile injured. Following an
investigation, ALEA troopers determined the operator did not possess the required boating license.
As a result, the child was operating the 2024 Sea-Doo. The craft’s owner was issued an Alabama Uniform Boating Traffic Citation for giving permission to operate a vessel without a license.
Under Alabama’s boating education and operator certification requirements:
*No one under the age of 12 may operate any motorized vessel, including personal watercrafts (PWCs) such as a Sea-Doo and WaveRunner, on Alabama waterways.
*Individuals must be at least 12 years old to be eligible for a vessel operator’s license but cannot operate a vessel alone until age 14.
*Operators ages 12 or 13, after obtaining a license, may operate only if a licensed adult (21 or older) is onboard and in position to take immediate control.
*Operators age 14 and older, with a valid license, may legally operate unsupervised.
*The operator’s license must be in possession while operating the vessel.
Aviation Unit and Coastal Safety
ALEA’s Aviation Unit partnered with the cities of Orange Beach and Gulf Shores for the Rescue Swimmer Detail along Alabama’s Gulf Coast. The detail conducted nine helicopter patrol flights and responded to three calls for swimmers in distress over the weekend.
For more information on Alabama traffic and boating laws, visit www.alea.gov.
