Six people were killed in traffic accidents in the District so far in 2012, down dramatically from 17 killed during the same period in 2011, AAA Mid-Atlantic said in a new report based on D.C. police statistics.

“The historical trends over the decades indicate the number of motor vehicle fatalities is plummeting in Washington, D. C., and that’s something we can all cheer,” said AAA Mid-Atlantic’s John Townsend. “While the decline in traffic fatalities is encouraging news, the loss of just one precious life in a traffic related-crash is still one death too many.”