Alabama's Terrible Roads Become Lethal

Alabama's highway 231 in February 2020Heartlandtv.com

On June 20th, 2021, ten people lost their lives on an Alabama highroad. Among the victims are a father and his infant daughter and eight other children who were traveling in a bus that belonged to the Alabama Sheriff’s youth ranches. The Alabama youth ranches provide Christian, family-style residential homes for Alabama’s needy, neglected, or abused school-age children. The tragic crash took place near the ranch on Interstate 65, approximately 120 miles southwest of Camp Hill, Alabama.

In a press release, ALEA’s Secretary of Law Enforcement Hal Taylor stated,

“Investigating fatal crashes is one of the most difficult responsibilities of the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency. Yesterday, was an extremely heart-breaking day for the State of Alabama as 10 lives were tragically lost in one horrific event. I would like to offer my sincerest condolences to the friends and families of loved ones lost in Saturday’s terrible crash, as well as my gratitude to all of the first responders and volunteers who quickly and valiantly responded to the scene. It was a difficult and unimaginable scene for many, and our thoughts and prayers are with all involved as we continue to investigate and provide closure for those affected.”

Multiple car crash on Alabama highway 

While still investigating the cause of the accident, the authorities believe that hydroplaning caused by Tropical Storm Claudette could have been what led to the accident as the site of the crash is prone to hydroplane. Among those who sent their condolences on Alabama’s tragic pile-up that involved almost 17 vehicles is the Sheriff’s office that put out a statement that said,

“Butler County has had one of the most terrible traffic accidents that I believe is the worst ever in our county. Many vehicles were involved, many injuries and even deaths. Please pray for the families of the ones involved and first responders, law enforcement, EMS, wrecker services, fire departments, ALDOT, hospital personnel, volunteers, chaplains and anyone that assisted.”

Alabama’s Governor Kay Ivey showed and voiced her support and heartbreak in a Tweet urging Alabamans to keep the families of the victims in prayer. However, one has to ask why the Governor didn’t do something about Alabama’s bad roads where Alabamians are losing record sums of about $5.3 billion annually due to road deterioration and congestion. The report further states that Alabamians who own automobiles spend about $1500 annually because of wear and tear caused by Alabama’s terrible roads.

Alabama’s governor Kay Ivey has serious problems in her State. Accidents such as this tragic crash where ten souls, 9 of whom are children, could have had a different outcome if proper road maintenance was done on Alabama’s debilitating roads. Some reports suggest that one in four of the State’s roads are in poor or mediocre condition.

Alabama’s political leaders are aware of the condition of their State’s roads. Alabama State senator Jabo Waggoner almost predicted this tragic crash on the Alabama highway when in 2019, the Senator reacted to Alabama roads’ D- score given by the American Society of Civil Engineers when he said, “You know, that’s close to failing. We have school buses going over these bridges every day.” The Senator supported the idea of increasing tax to fund the proper maintenance of the State’s roads; however, he lamented the possibility of that happening when he said, “It is the ‘T’ word, and you don’t find Republicans every day that are going to vote for a tax.”

Peter Drucker, the renowned thinker who was dubbed as the man who invented management by Businessweek magazine, said, “there are no underdeveloped countries anymore, only mismanaged ones,” and this could not be truer for the State of Alabama. Unfortunately, the State has been mismanaged for how else can Alabama’s misery be defined when even United Nations officials have declared the State had “the worst poverty in the developed world?

In 2019, a traffic crash was reported every 3 minutes and 18 seconds in the State of Alabama, whereas the same stats say that the interstate system carries 25% of Alabama’s traffic volume and is at the same time responsible for 11% of the fatalities. Alabamians like the rest of America need safe roads equipped to deal with the 21st century’s traffic problems. Alabama’s elected leaders need to showcase infrastructures that save lives so that when the next serious crash happens, zero deaths and celebrating lives saved dominate the headlines and not the Alabama Governor’s call for prayer. What do you think?

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