Boyle RCMP say it appears driver error may be to blame in a crash that killed two people and injured two others – including a young boy – on Highway 63.
RCMP tell CTV News that two people died after a serious two-vehicle collision about one kilometre north of Wandering River on Highway 63 Sunday morning.
There were two people in each vehicle.
Preliminary evidence suggests one car - carrying a young boy passenger - pulled out in front of another vehicle and was struck at highway speeds.
A 52-year-old woman in one vehicle died at the scene. An eight-year-old boy from the same vehicle was airlifted by STARS to the Stollery Children’s Hospital in Edmonton with life-threatening injuries.
A 28-year-old man who was the passenger of the second vehicle also died at the scene. The 26-year-old male driver of that vehicle is in hospital in Lac La Biche with life-threatening injuries.
The collision occurred around 9 a.m. Sunday and forced a road closure.
Traffic had been diverted on Highway 63 at Atmore Junction and Highway 881.
The highway re-opened in both directions by mid-afternoon.
Police say alcohol, drugs and speed do not appear to be factors in the crash.
The investigation is ongoing.
Meanwhile an RCMP officer and an Alberta sheriff were catching speeders just south of where the fatal collision took place on Sunday.
While CTV News was on scene, police wrote one driver a ticket for going 127 kilometres an hour in a 100 zone.
Highway 63 is commonly called “Alberta’s deadliest highway.”
The province announced this summer a number of measures to try and improve safety on Highway 63 – including new digital signs, an advertising campaign, along with additional enforcement officers.
There are also plans for three Highway 63 construction projects which include new passing lanes and extensions to existing ones, 27-kilometres of new grading near Wandering River, and 55 kilometres of tree-clearing between House River and Mariana Lake.
With files from Sean Amato