Alabama state troopers reported Tuesday that during 2022 troopers worked nearly 32,000 traffic accidents, with nearly 11,000 involving injuries and 586 fatalities.

Those numbers were down from 2021 numbers.

Troopers with the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency’s (ALEA) Highway Patrol Division investigated crashes that resulted in 19 fewer lives lost on Alabama’s roadways.

This past year, ALEA Troopers investigated a total of 31,990 traffic crashes, which resulted in 10,914 injuries and 586 fatalities reported. Crashes declined by 2,185 and injuries were down 646 in 2022 from the 2021 totals.

“We would like to thank the motoring public for their diligence and continuous efforts in assisting law enforcement, which enabled ALEA Troopers to reduce the number of traffic crashes, injuries and fatalities, ultimately making Alabama roadways safer,” ALEA Secretary Hal Taylor said.

“However, this extended holiday travel period still reminds us that we need to remain constant in our resolve to create an environment of safety on our state’s roadways. Unfortunately, this year there were 14 lives tragically lost.”

The extended holiday travel period spanned over nine days and began at 12:01 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 24, and ended at midnight Sunday, Jan. 1, 2023.

The fatal crashes occurred in Baldwin, Chambers, Chilton, Dallas, DeKalb, Elmore, Jefferson, Limestone, Marshall, Monroe and Tuscaloosa counties. Of those killed, 11 were drivers, and three were passengers.

All were traveling in vehicles equipped with seat belts, four individuals were using them, nine were not. In one case, it is unknown whether a seat belt was used.

Colonel Jimmy Helms, Director of ALEA’s Department of Public Safety agreed and said, “Our Troopers did a phenomenal job this year actively patrolling and working numerous high- visibility details in order to reduce crashes and save lives.

However, they were tasked with notifying the loved ones of these 14 individuals following the fatal crashes over the holiday season. This is one of the most difficult parts of our job and we at ALEA offer our heartfelt condolences to the families and loved ones.”

ALEA urged the motoring public to begin 2023 with a pledge to make it a top priority at all times of the year.

An initiative for the Agency over the course of the next year will be to focus on both education and enforcement as it relates to the use of seat belts.

Regardless if an individual is a driver or passenger, buckling up is the single most effective action one can take to protect themselves in a crash.