Oklahoma DPS: Highway Fatalities Up

The Oklahoma Department of Public Safety says traffic-related fatalities in August were higher than the same month a year ago.

Preliminary information indicates there were 67 fatalities in August, up from 52 deaths in the same month in 2015. DPS says 58 victims were Oklahoma residents.

Tulsa County led the state with eight fatalities, followed by Oklahoma County with seven. Police reports indicate 10 of the statewide fatalities were alcohol-related.

DPS says 51 percent of those who died in traffic collisions last month were not wearing seat belts at the time of the crash.

Seventeen fatalities occurred on state highways, 16 on county roads and 14 on federally maintained highways while another seven were on interstate highways. Twelve were on city streets and one occurred on a turnpike.