ALEA: Zero boating deaths during Memorial Day weekend

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WBRC) - The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency says they investigated zero boating fatalities over the Memorial Day weekend. However, the agency also reports that the holiday weekend did see some traffic-related deaths.

Seven crashes occurred in Cherokee, Bibb, Pike, Lawrence, Chambers, Limestone and Washington counties. ALEA says two of those deaths involved an ATV and a motorcycle, while another two people weren’t wearing seatbelts in cars.

As summer travel ramps up, Sgt. Jeremy Burkett is urging the public to do their part to stay safe.

“This goes back to the citizens and visitors to the state, follow the law,” says ALEA Sgt. Jeremy Burkett, “of course we’re going to be out there, we’ll take some type of enforcement action if we need to and try to change that driver behavior, but you’ve got to give credit where credit is due, especially when it comes to water safety.”

Burkett says there were some DUI related arrests on Alabama’s waterways over the holiday weekend.

To keep the number of boating fatalities at zero, Burkett urges all boaters to never operate their vehicles at night when it’s harder to see.

Last year, ALEA reported four traffic fatalities and three boating fatalities over the holiday weekend.

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