For New Year�s, half of the deaths involved alcohol; five of the nine Christmas deaths were alcohol related. For the New Year�s holiday, four of the people who died were unbuckled; over Christmas, three were unbuckled.

�The importance of buckling up and driving sober can never be stressed enough,� said Kathy Farnum, senior section chief of the Office of Highway Safety Planning.

Although it is early to make comparisons, last year 14 people died over the four-day New Year�s holiday period and eight died over the four-day Christmas holiday period.

The New Year�s holiday period began at 6 p.m. Dec. 28 and went through midnight Jan. 1. The Christmas holiday period began at 6 p.m. Dec. 21 and went through midnight Dec. 25.