Car crashes down at Port Authority facilities

Motor vehicle crashes in bridges, tunnels and other Port Authority facilities in New York and New Jersey went down in 2012, the agency announced Tuesday.

The number of car crashes in 2012 dropped to 6,033, from 6,295 the prior year, marking a decline in four of the past five years. In 2012, four vehicle crashes were fatal, while 2011 saw five deaths from car accidents.

"The Port Authority continues to be proactive to ensure the safety of the region's travelers who use our airports, bridges and tunnels and marine facilities," Port Authority Executive Director Pat Foye said in a statement.

The Port Authority singled out the reduction in crashes at John F. Kennedy Internaitonal Airport, which saw a 6% drop in crashes in 2012 compared to the prior year. The agency attributed to reduction to road safety projects at JFK and a safety upgrade at the airport's Federal Circle exit on the Van Wyck Expressway.