Nine people were killed in seven separate traffic crashes over the Labor Day holiday weekend in Oregon.

On average, seven people have died over this holiday weekend each year since 1970, according to the Oregon State Police. Six people died during this holiday weekend last year. Oregon State Police (OSP) troopers also arrested more DUII drivers during the holiday weekend while wrapping up the national enforcement crackdown on intoxicated drivers.

"This year's fatality figure is the second highest over the last 10 years and a somber reminder that rising fuel prices and lower traveler estimates don't always result in less traffic fatalities.

"Traffic safety still always falls first in the hands of each driver, making sound travel plans and driving decisions," said Oregon State Police Superintendent Timothy McLain, whose agency joined thousands of law enforcement agencies around the nation working hard to reduce traffic crashes from happening. The highest fatality count since 1988 occurred when 10 people died in 2005.

According to known police reports from Oregon law enforcement agencies, each fatal crash involved a single vehicle, including two crashes in which two people were killed. Two others died in traffic crashes on Friday prior to the official reporting period's 6 p.m. start.

The following is a brief review of this year's fatality crashes:

• On Friday at approximately 8:10 p.m., a 39-year old woman died when her sport utility vehicle left the highway in the 35000 block of South Sawtell Road in the Molalla area and struck a power pole. The victim was using safety restraints and alcohol is a possible contributing factor. Clackamas County Sheriff's Office is the lead investigating agency.

• On Saturday at approximately 12:40 a.m., two unidentified men died when their sport utility vehicle flipped off the west end of the St. Johns Bridge in Portland. Safety restraint use information is not available and the cause remains under investigation. Portland Police Bureau is the lead investigating agency.

• On Saturday at approximately 2:58 a.m., a 59-year old man and 60-year old woman died when the car crashed into a light pole at the intersection of SE 10th Street and SE Walnut Street in Hillsboro. Safety restraint use information is not available and the cause is under investigation. The Washington County interagency crash investigation team is leading the investigation.

• On Saturday at about 2:05 p.m., a 37-year old Caldwell, Idaho, man died after losing control of his sport utility vehicle northbound on Highway 395 near milepost 48 and rolled multiple times. The victim was using safety restraints and the cause remains under investigation. Oregon State Police is the lead investigating agency.

• On Sunday, at approximately 6:20 a.m., a 23-year old Gresham man died after losing control of his pickup eastbound on Highway 26 near milepost 113 and rolled numerous times. The victim was using safety restraints and the cause remains under investigation. Oregon State Police is the lead investigating agency.

• On Sunday at approximately 10:24 a.m., a 48-year old Grand Ronde man died after losing control of his car and flipping several times on the Highway 18 business loop between Willamina and Sheridan. The victim was not using safety restraints, and alcohol and speed are possible contributing factors. Oregon State Police is the lead investigating agency.

• On Sunday at approximately 3:15 p.m., a 64-year old San Rafael, Calif., man died after driving off Highway 101 near milepost 206 and colliding with a tree. The victim was not using safety restraints and the cause remains under investigation. Oregon State Police is the lead investigating agency.

Two other fatal traffic crashes happened prior to the official Friday 6 p.m. starting period. Marion County Sheriff's Office investigated a fatal motorcycle crash Friday at approximately 2 p.m. that resulted in the death of a 60-year old Lake Oswego man on Breitenbush Road near Detroit Lake. In the second fatal crash investigated by Oregon State Police, a 56-year old Waldport man died over the weekend following a two-vehicle crash at approximately noon Friday on Highway 101 near milepost 152.

According to initial investigative information, alcohol is a possible contributing factor in two of the seven fatal crashes. Based upon known statistics gathered by ODOT's Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), since 1985 about 53% of Labor Day holiday weekend fatalities were alcohol involved.

Oregon State Police (OSP) troopers reported 87 DUII arrests between Friday and Monday. This is an increase from the 2007 and 2006 Labor Day holiday weekends when OSP troopers arrested 78 intoxicated drivers each year. The highest number of trooper DUII arrests over the holiday weekend was made by the OSP Bend Area Command office with 10 arrests, followed by the Salem Area Command office with 7. Three other OSP offices (Coos Bay, Central Point, and Grants Pass) reported six DUII arrests.

The Labor Day holiday weekend fell on the end of a national intensive enforcement crackdown on impaired driving. "Drunk Driving. Over the Limit. Under Arrest" ran August 15th through September 1st. Preliminary OSP statistics indicate troopers arrested 208 intoxicated drivers during this crackdown.

In addition to increased DUII enforcement efforts, OSP troopers worked with several county and city agencies targeting hazardous traffic violations. During the holiday weekend, preliminary enforcement statistics for OSP troopers show over 1500 speed-related citations, nearly 100 safety restraint violation citations, and more than 440 disabled motorists assisted including 323 along interstate freeways.

For the Democrat-Herald