Traffic deaths down in Va.

Traffic deaths have declined this year across the state, according to the Department of Motor Vehicles.
From Jan. 1 to Aug. 31, 481 people were killed this year, compared to 490 during the same time last year, according to a news release from the agency.
This year, 159 of the deaths have happened on primary roads while 62 occurred on interstates, the agency reported.
State officials said 756 people died on the state’s roads last year, a record low since deaths were first recorded in 1966. Last year’s tally was a 27 percent decrease from the high of 1,026 in 2007.
Eight people died in six crashes during this year's Labor Day weekend, according to Virginia State Police. The number of crashes decreased to 378 from 519 in 2009.
Since 2007, law enforcement agencies across the state have announced increased patrols and enforcement activities to increase traffic safety.