Alaskan Highway Deaths Up This Year

The number of traffic fatalities on Alaska highways is up from last year.

The Department of Public Safety said that as of Monday, there had been 40 fatalities, nearly a dozen more than at the same time each in 2009 and 2010.

Public Safety Commissioner Joe Masters and Transportation Commissioner Marc Luiken said preliminary reports showed unsafe speeds played a role in a quarter of the fatalities this year. They said alcohol was suspected in 20 percent of the accidents and inattention by the driver in 11 percent.

Masters and Luiken urged Alaskans to drive safely.