Published: October 13, 2009 03:38 pm      

Officials report decline in traffic fatalities

EDMOND — State officials report a decline in traffic fatalities, but roughly two-thirds of those who died were not wearing their seat belts.

Department of Public Safety officials report a decrease in traffic fatalities for the month of September. Fatalities were down 15 in September with a total of 41 compared to 56 in the same month last year.

There were five motorcycle and two bicycle fatalities in September. The highest daily fatality numbers include 12 deaths on Saturdays, dropping to six each on Sundays, Mondays and Wednesdays.

There were 10 deathless days in the month of September.

Six of the fatality crashes were alcohol-related, in the opinion of the investigating state, county or municipal officer. Thirty-seven of the victims were Oklahoma residents with only four being non-residents. There were 28 male and 13 female victims.

Ten of the fatality victims were age 20 or under. The leading number of fatalities by age group were eight in the 51- to 60-year-olds, dropping to seven in the 21- to 30-year-olds.

Oklahoma County led the state in fatalities with a fatality count of five, dropping to four in Grady and Tulsa counties. Sixty-six percent of those who died in traffic collisions were not wearing safety belts at the time of the crash, according to DPS statistics.

There were 36 fatality crashes in the month of September. The highest number of crashes were on county roads and the state’s turnpike systems with 10 fatality crashes each.

Year-to-date fatalities through Oct. 11 were 553; year-to-date fatalities through Oct. 11, 2008, were 572.