JEFFERSON CITY (AP) – Officials said traffic deaths in Missouri have been on a downward trend for nearly 10 years.

The Jefferson City Tribune reported the number of traffic fatalities has dropped since 2005, with 2012 being the only year that showed an increase from the previous year.

On average, about 1,068 deaths occurred each year since the Missouri State Highway Patrol began reporting traffic fatalities in 1949. Last year, the MSPH reported 757 traffic deaths.

Missouri State Highway Patrol spokesman Lt. John Hotz said the state agency attributes the general decline in fatalities to education, enforcement, engineering and emergency medical services.

Transportation officials also said they believe that road improvements, such as adding shoulders to roads that didn’t have them before, likely helped decrease traffic fatality numbers.