The days are getting shorter, the evenings are getting cooler and kids are heading back to school.

 Summer is winding down and the Alberta RCMP are looking back over what has proven to be a difficult summer across the province.  From May thru July, 2017, the RCMP responded to a significant number of injuries and deaths on roads, rivers and lakes in Alberta.

During that period, police say a total of 63 people died in a variety of collisions.

50 people were killed while 1,277 were injured in vehicle collisions on roads within RCMP jurisdictions.  2 cyclists also died and 29 more were injured while 7 motorcyclists were killed and 145 injured.  Four more deaths occured from off-road collisions while 71 more people were injured.

11 people also drowned in Alberta lakes and rivers.

Motor vehicle collisions are the leading cause of death in Alberta and remain a top priority for Integrated Traffic Units, according to Superintendent Rick Gardner of Alberta Sheriffs, who reiterated the call for safety on roads during the Labour Day weekend.

"We remind drivers to share the road with other motorists, to put their seatbelts on, to drive sober and free of distractions.  These small gestures go a long way when it comes to traffic safety."

Three people were killed in traffic collisions during the 2016 Labour Day weekend.

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