(AP) — Nebraska road safety officials say they hope the 16 percent increase in traffic fatalities in 2012 is not the beginning of an upward trend.

212 people died in 190 fatal crashes in Nebraska last year.

The Nebraska Department of Roads says the percentage of deadly wrecks involving alcohol increased to nearly 43 percent last year from 30 percent in 2011.

Nebraska Office of Highway Safety Director Fred Zwonechek says he hopes the increase in deaths is not the beginning of an upward trend. He says traffic deaths so far this year are 4 percent lower than for the same time period last year.

Fatal crashes have been on the decline for decades and peaked in 1971 at 489.