Montgomery, AL – As the summer travel season hits its stride, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) has released its enforcement and patrol statistics from the extended Fourth of July holiday period, which spanned from 12:01 a.m. Thursday, July 3, through 11:59 p.m. Sunday, July 6. The agency deployed all available Troopers across both highways and waterways with the primary goal of promoting public safety through proactive enforcement and education.
On Alabama’s waterways, ALEA’s Marine Patrol Division investigated seven boating accidents across Lake Martin, Smith Lake, Logan Martin Lake, Guntersville Lake, Lake Eufaula, and Coden Bayou. No boating fatalities were reported, although one non-boating drowning incident occurred on July 5 at Chickasabogue Creek in Mobile County.
Marine enforcement efforts included:
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749 vessel stops
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223 citations issued
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1,074 warnings issued
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8 boating under the influence (BUI) arrests
Common violations included issues such as unregistered vessels, operating without a license, lack of proper flotation devices, improper navigation lighting, careless operation, and failure to use emergency cut-off switches.
Troopers also emphasized educating boaters on Alabama’s new safety laws. Warnings included:
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83 for non-residents operating without certification
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77 for violations of the state’s Proximity Law
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5 for wake sport violations on designated lakes, including Shoal Creek, Lake Martin, Lake Wedowee, Smith Lake, and Weiss Lake
On Alabama highways, ALEA’s Highway Patrol Division responded to 314 traffic crashes, which resulted in 155 injuries and 12 fatalities across DeKalb, Mobile, Dale, Greene, Blount, Cleburne, Cullman, and Montgomery counties.
Highway enforcement statistics included:
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2,826 speeding citations
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394 seat belt citations
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19 driving under the influence (DUI) arrests
ALEA Secretary Hal Taylor expressed condolences for the lives lost during the weekend and emphasized the agency’s ongoing commitment to safety. “Every life lost is a tragic reminder of why our mission is critical,” said Taylor. “We are committed to doing everything within our power to prevent such tragedies.”
Colonel Jonathan Archer, Director of ALEA’s Department of Public Safety, echoed this sentiment, noting the importance of continued public awareness and responsibility. “Twelve lives lost on our roadways is 12 too many,” said Archer. “As we move through the remainder of the summer travel season, we urge everyone to remain focused on safety.”
ALEA will continue its enforcement operations and public safety campaigns throughout the summer, particularly during high-traffic weekends, in an effort to reduce crashes, injuries, and fatalities statewide.
For additional information on highway and boating safety, visit www.ALEA.gov.
