The trucking industry and authorities are crediting electronic sensors and enforcement with helping drop the number of truck-related crashes over the years in Washington state.

The Yakima Herald-Republic reports (http://bit.ly/LMSyUZ) that between 2008 and 2009, fatal crashes involving commercial vehicles dropped by about 50 percent to 32. Fatalities dropped to 26 the next year but climbed to 37 for 2011.

Over the years, an increasing number of trucks on Washington roads have installed transponders that transmit company records to weigh stations. If the record is clean and the in-pavement weighs show the truck is not over the limit, the driver can go on its way.

Officials say that faster weigh station services meant $12.1 million in savings by cutting down on idle time.