New Report: Traffic fatalities have declined since 1996

According to the 2008 Virginia Crash Facts, 135,282 car accidents occurred last year, a 6.96 percent decrease from 2007; and 69,130 people were injured, a .45 percent increase from 2007.

Traffic deaths decreased by 19.98 percent from 2007 to 2008, when 821 people died, the lowest number of deaths since 1966.

The data in crash facts focuses on a wide variety of aspects related to auto mobile accidents including traffic controls, the environment and driver action. Here are some highlights:

• 1,142 drivers were traveling at a speed over 70 mph at the time a crash occurred
• 25,758 people tested positive with a blood alcohol of .08 or greater, a 2.04 % increase over 2007
• 31,469 people were guilty of DUI (79.3 %)
• Of the convicted DUI cases 79.36 %were male and 19.7 % were female
• The majority of the 2008’s crashes (31,554) occurred between 3 and 6 p.m.