While the Ontario Provincial Police are touting this past Labour Day weekend as one of the safest on our roads in recent years, it was a different story for two people from Hamilton as the weekend was just getting started.

A serious car crash in Essa just after 4 p.m. Friday claimed the Hamilton residents' lives and left a third victim in serious condition in hospital. The police have not identified the third accident victim, but report that the young woman is suffering from serious injuries including broken ribs, a punctured lung and is being assessed for neck and back injuries.

The three were travelling in a car when it was struck by a pickup truck at the 8th Line and 5th Sideroad of Essa.

Essa firefighters had to use the Jaws of Life to extricate victims from the wreck.

Kevin Booker, 22, and Stephanie Sukkel, 20, both from Hamilton, were killed in the crash. The third occupant of the car is in serious condition at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre in Toronto.

The driver of the pickup truck was not injured.

The road was closed for several hours while OPP traffic and an identification units investigated. Police said alcohol is not believed to be a factor in the crash.

Despite the deadly beginning to the weekend locally, the number of people killed on OPP-patrolled roads is down this Labour Day weekend, compared to last year. Police said there were four people killed on roads, including the two in Essa. On Labour Day weekend 2007, 11 people died on Ontario roads and highways.

Overall, OPP report the number of people killed in car accidents this year is also down.

To date, 209 people have been killed in 183 crashes in Ontario this year. At this time last year, 309 people had already died in 263 crashes.