Traffic Deaths Down 20 Percent

Traffic deaths on Washington roads are down 20 percent so far this year, even though the roads are getting more crowded each year, a state agency reported Wednesday.

The Washington Traffic Safety Commission said 256 people died on Washington’s roads during the first half of this year, down from 321 during the first six months of 1996.

Approximately 180 of the deaths occurred on rural roads, with the remaining 76 in urban areas.