Traffic fatalities are down significantly in DeKalb County so far this year, the DeKalb police department said Wednesday.

Total traffic deaths in the county from January to July 22 of this year declined to 30, down from 45 in the same period in 2007.

Police officials attributed the 33 percent reduction to stepped-up traffic enforcement, particularly crackdowns on speeders traveling main roads and Interstate-285 and Interstate-85 in the county.

Researchers with the National Traffic Safety Council this week reported a 9 percent decline nationwide in motor vehicle deaths from January through May this year compared to the same period in 2007. Georgia was was one of 31 states reporting a decline of at least 10 percent.

The nationwide decline is being attributed, in part, to the rising cost of gasoline. Higher fuel costs have led to fewer miles being driven.

In DeKalb, police reported 22 fatal traffic deaths occurred along surface streets through July 22 this year, down from 30 deaths on surface streets in the first seven months of 2007. The number of traffic fatalities on interstates in the county totaled 5 so far this year, down from 13 in the same period last year.