There have been 84 traffic fatalities in the state — a number that is significantly lower compared with the same time span a year ago — from the beginning of the year up to Wednesday, according to preliminary statistics from the state Department of Transportation.

Most of the fatalities — 43 — for the time period occurred in Honolulu, followed by 18 in Maui County, 16 in Hawaii County and seven in Kauai County. The majority of fatalities in Honolulu — 18 — involved pedestrians.

The breakdown for each county is as follows:

>> In Honolulu there were 13 fatalities involving motor vehicle occupants, 18 involving pedestrians, 10 involving motorcycles and mopeds, and two involving cyclists.

>> In Maui County there were 12 fatalities involving motor vehicle occupants, five involving pedestrians and one involving a motor­cycle.

>> In Hawaii County there were four fatalities involving motor vehicle occupants, seven involving pedestrians and five involving motorcycles.

>> In Kauai County there were four fatalities involving motor vehicle occupants, two involving pedestrians and one involving a motorcycle.

The bicycle statistics do not include a fatal Hilo crash reported by Hawaii island police earlier this month. The bicyclist, Wayne W. Giel, 40, of Hilo, was struck by a pickup truck. Police arrested the truck driver on suspicion of operating a vehicle under the influence of an intoxicant and first-degree negligent homicide.

To be considered a motor vehicle fatality in the statistics compiled by the DOT, a crash must involve a motor vehicle traveling on a traffic way customarily open to the public, and must result in a death of at least one person within 30 days of the crash.

The 84 traffic fatalities are fewer than the 102 recorded from Jan. 1 to Nov. 6, 2018. Of that total last year, most of the fatalities, 56, happened in Honolulu.