The Alabama Department of Transportation and the Alabama Department of Public Safety State officials released preliminary numbers Monday regarding to the amount of car accident fatalities investigated by troopers in 2012.

They reported that the numbers were higher in 2012 across the state with 514 fatalities investigated by troopers.

Of those 514 fatalities, 10 of those occurred in Dallas County — a higher number than that of 2011, which saw nine fatalities in the county. In 2010 there were only five fatalities in the county.

There were four highway fatalities in Wilcox County, half the number of fatalities that occurred the year prior.

In Perry County there were six highway fatalities in 2012 — a much higher number than the two fatalities in the county in 2011.

Across the Black Belt there were 73 highway fatalities investigated by state troopers in total.

State officials also found in their preliminary research that in 59 percent of the car accidents, or in 251 of them, the victims were not wearing seatbelts.

Selma Chief of Police, William T. Riley said he is not sure why officers and safety officials still have to keep the conversation going about seatbelts because it is well known that the chance of fatality in crashes where drivers do not wear seatbelts is much higher.

“It is a well-known fact that seatbelts save lives,” Riley said. “The evidence is clear that you are more likely to survive an accident with a seatbelt in most accidents when cars are going at normal speeds. With a seatbelt your chances of survival are very great.”

Sgt. Steven Jarrett with the Department of Public Safety said data from crashes investigated by local law enforcement won’t be compiled until later this year, so the total number of fatalities, including the percentage not wearing seat belts is expected to climb even higher.