Illinois sees drop in Labor Day weekend road fatalities

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) - Illinois State Police say there was a steep drop in fatal traffic crashes over the Labor Day weekend this year compared with last year.

State police released figures Tuesday showing five fatal traffic crashes this year, compared with 19 last year, and five fatalities this year compared with 23 in 2016. State police handled nearly 200 crashes during the holiday weekend.

Illinois State Police Director Leo Schmitz says it was one of the safest Labor Day travel weekends in the last six years. But he says state police will continue working to reduce the number of fatalities.

State police issued more than 6,000 citations and nearly 4,000 warnings for offenses like speeding and not wearing seatbelts.

Police officials say the information is based on provisional reports from the Illinois Department of Transportation.