CHARLESTON Bucking a nationwide trend, traffic deaths in West Virginia rose last year. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported Thursday that 431 people were killed in highway crashes in West Virginia. That's a 5.1 percent increase from 410 deaths in 2006.
The West Virginia Department of Transportation's Division of Highways reported that both Cabell and Wayne counties experienced an increase in highway fatalities in 2007 from 2006. Cabell County reported 15 fatalities in 2006 compared to 21 in 2007, a 40 percent increase. Wayne County reported 10 fatalities in 2006 and 17 in 2007, a 70 percent increase.
Among surrounding states, traffic deaths fell 5.8 percent in Maryland, 5.4 percent in Kentucky and 2.2 percent in Pennsylvania. They rose in 6.8 percent in Virginia and 1.5 percent in Ohio.
North Carolina's death toll increased the most in the nation, up 121 over the previous year.
Nationally, traffic deaths declined 3.9 percent in 2007. The 41,059 deaths were the lowest number since 1994.
