Raleigh, N.C. — According to the state Highway Patrol, the number of deadly traffic accidents involving motor-carriers are down in North Carolina.

In 2006, officials said there were 128 motor carrier-related traffic deaths, which is down from 161 in 2005. The crashes include any in which a commercial motor vehicle was involved -- including those weighing 26,001 pounds or more, buses and vehicles carrying hazardous materials.

The Highway Patrol credits the decline in part to the implementation of a new program, Troop Stat, in 2005. Troop Stat requires the Highway Patrol to review traffic collision data and respond to any identified collision trends.

“We are really encouraged that fatal collisions involving motor carrier vehicles dropped last year and our motor carrier enforcement efforts have continued to increase,” said Col. Fletcher Clay, commander of the state Highway Patrol.

The total number of fatal and nonfatal collisions involving carrier vehicles went down about 12 percent from 2004 to 2006, officials said. Patrol troopers investigated 8,039 collisions in 2004, 7,602 in 2005 and 7,077 in 2006.