4 Killed in Alabama Fourth of July Weekend Crashes

Four people were killed in crashes during the Fourth of July travel period in accidents that were investigated by Alabama State Troopers, state Department of Public Safety officials said Monday.

The holiday travel period began at 12:01 a.m. Thursday and ended at midnight on Sunday. State patrol officials said they investigated 434 crashes, which resulted in 154 injuries. The four traffic fatalities don’t include accidents that were investigated by other law enforcement agencies.

Officials say they’re unsure of whether alcohol was linked to any of the crashes. Seatbelts were used in one of the four deadly accidents, although they were available in all the vehicles that were involved in the crashes, officials said.

State troopers issued 2,126 speeding citations, 607 seatbelt and child restraint citations and arrested 59 people for driving under the influence.

State troopers said nine people died in traffic accidents during the Fourth of July travel period in 2012.

Authorities used grants from the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs and the Alabama Department of Transportation to fund increased patrols during the holiday travel period.

Officials said troopers were focusing on people who were speeding, making unsafe lane changes, following too closely or appeared to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol.