Traffic violations on Kauai dropped last year, the Garden Island newspaper reported Tuesday.

Kauai police said moving violations in 2012 totaled 8,189, compared to 10,629 in 2011 and 8,668 in 2010. Only 2009 had fewer violations with a total of 6,495 tickets issued that year, the newspaper reported.

There have been 4,134 moving violations this year through June.

Kauai police officials attribute the decline to effective enforcement and safer driving habits.

“We are still enforcing speeding violations and it appears that the public is getting the message by slowing down,” said Kauai Police Chief Darryl Perry told the newspaper.

There have been three road fatalities so far on Kauai in 2013, while there were eight in 2012, six in 2011, 10 in 2010, and eight in 2009.