A decrease in traffic accidents in the Badger State. The state Transportation Department 's final report on traffic accidents last year shows the lowest number of crashes for any year since 1983. Highway Safety Director Dan Lonsdorf says they were down 6% from the year before, and there were 90 fewer fatalities. Lonsdorf says last year's drop in crashes was probably due to more enforcement efforts by police, and higher gas prices leading to slower speeds and fewer trips.