Road fatalities decline

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - State police say Thanksgiving holiday traffic fatalities dropped significantly this year in Virginia.

Preliminary numbers show nine people died in nine crashes from Wednesday through Sunday, down from 19 people killed in 18 crashes during the Thanksgiving period in 2007. It was the lowest number of fatalities for the holiday since 2002, when nine people died.

State police Superintendent Col. Steven Flaherty says troopers worked more than 1,000 crashes statewide over the extended holiday weekend.