Despite data released last week that show crash-related fatalities are up this year across both the state and the nation, area state police lieutenants said local fatalities so far are at or below par.

According to the National Safety Council data, 138 people in Connecticut suffered traffic-related deaths in the first six months of 2016 — a 45 percent increase over the same time period last year.

Just last week, a woman died after crashing into a tree in Simsbury, a man died in a five-vehicle wreck in New Haven and a teenager died after flipping a stolen car in Hartford.

Then, on Thursday, two vehicles collided on Interstate 95 in East Lyme, sending one man to Hartford Hospital by Life Star helicopter. As of Friday, he was listed in critical condition.

In a news release, officials with the National Safety Council said the increase in fatalities likely is a result of gas prices, which, on average, were 16 percent cheaper this year than in the first six months of 2015.

But even though statistics show more people are driving this year than in recent years, a member of the United States Public Interest Research Group urged leaders not to invest in newer, wider highways.

Instead, John Olivieri said, they should put money into fostering non-driving modes of transportation and repairing existing roads.

“Driving is one of the least safe forms of transportation we have available to us,” said Olivieri, director of the group’s 21st Century Transportation campaign. “This year alone, we are on track to lose 110 lives a day. That is simply unacceptable.”

At state police Troop E, which patrols from Sprague and Voluntown in the north to East Lyme and Stonington in the south, Lt. Eric Cooke said fatal accidents are substantially down this year.

By the end of August 2015, he said, troopers there had seen 11 crash-related fatalities.

This year that number is four.

Cooke said some fluctuation in the numbers isn’t unusual.

While Connecticut’s crash-related deaths are up 45 percent over the first half of last year, for example, they’re up just 16 percent over the same time period in 2014.

Cooke said he analyzes where accidents occur on a monthly basis, searching for hotspots and adjusting strategies as necessary.

“The troopers out there every day are looking out for public safety, enforcing laws when appropriate and hoping everybody drives safely,” Cooke said.

Lt. Chris Johnson of Troop F said he, too, regularly looks at where accidents have happened in his troop’s coverage area, which begins at Old Lyme and extends to Branford.

“If we’re looking at an area, and it seems there’s been an uptick in accidents in that area, we’ll focus on targeted enforcement there,” Johnson said. “We’ll target the aggressive drivers, the tailgating, the distracted driving and the excessive speeding, and we’ll take that onto the back roads and local roads also.”

“That’s our main mission: to try to make the roads safer for the people traveling through,” he continued.

At Troop F, the number of crash-related fatalities this year is exactly the same as it was at this time last year, Johnson said.

Both Cooke and Johnson acknowledged the difficulties that exist with pulling cars over on some parts of Interstate 95 — particularly where its shoulders become nearly nonexistent.

Cooke said troopers can wait to initiate a traffic stop until they’re in a safer area, as long as it’s safe to wait and the driver of the vehicle cooperates.

Johnson urged motorists to understand the “move over” law and switch lanes when they can to allow troopers, wrecker operators, construction workers and other highway personnel to safely do their jobs.

Both troops, as they have for many years, will be using a range of boosted enforcement techniques during Labor Day weekend, which the National Safety Council predicted could be the deadliest driving-wise since 2008.

While roving patrols will search for drunk and distracted drivers, troopers stationed at checkpoints will ensure those driving past them are sober, Johnson explained.

“We’d just like to remind drivers, especially for Labor Day, that if you’re drinking alcohol, don’t get behind the wheel,” he said. “Have a nice holiday weekend, but use common sense.”

l.boyle@theday.com