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Number of traffic wrecks in Hall drops; fatalities remain steady
26 people died from collisions during 2011
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Ask any local law enforcement officer and you’ll probably be told there are too many traffic fatalities in Hall County.That’s considering 26 people died last year on Hall County roadways.“One is too many,” said Sgt. Stephen Wilbanks, a spokesman for the Hall County Sheriff’s Office.But there is reason to be optimistic about traffic safety in Hall County.Despite a rash of crash fatalities earlier this year, the number of crashes and injuries from traffic fatalities has been steadily decreasing since 2005.Meanwhile, fatalities have dropped since a 2005 peak of 36, and have largely remained steady in the 20s in recent years.So far this year, there’s been an estimated nine fatalities, based on data compiled by The Times from local law enforcement agencies.Statewide, traffic fatalities hit a 60-year low in 2011, Harris Blackwood, director of the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety, announced last week.Law enforcement and state traffic safety officials credit better enforcement, education and traffic engineering for aiding that decline.Oakwood Police Chief Randall Moon said he’s aware of the city police department’s reputation of aggressive enforcement through traffic stops, and he thinks it’s effective.“We do have a high visibility,” Moon said. “People moan and groan and complain. I hear that a lot.