CCSO: No wrecks seen over holiday

Published 11:51 pm Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Covington County escaped the Memorial Day weekend without any major traffic accidents — or many minor ones either, local law enforcement officials said Tuesday.

Statewide, at least 11 people died in traffic accidents on state roads over the three-day holiday weekend, the Alabama Department of Public Safety reported.

More than 420 traffic accidents were investigated statewide during the 72-hour travel period that ended midnight Monday, with fatalities reported in Pickens, Cullman, Baldwin, Morgan, Shelby, Tuscaloosa, Blount and Etowah counties.

In 2008, three people died in accidents on Alabama roads over the Memorial Day weekend.

“We were lucky this year,” Chief Deputy David Anderson said. “The Sheriff’s Office didn’t respond to any traffic accidents to my knowledge, thank goodness.”

Andalusia Chief Wilbur Williams said “all was quiet” in Andalusia during the holiday weekend, but local departments said residents should be reminded about the ongoing traffic enforcement initiative.

“Click-It-Or-Ticket is not over,” Williams said. “Officers are still on the roadways doing selective traffic enforcement looking for impaired drivers and speeders.”

Additionally, other departments, as well as the APD, are focusing on seat belt and child safety restraint violations.