WASHINGTON — Hawai'i's deaths from drunken driving fell 25 percent last year, according to a report released yesterday.

Forty-five Hawai'i traffic deaths in 2007 were blamed on drunken driving, down from 60 deaths in 2006, according to the report from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Nationally, the number of people killed in crashes where the driver had a blood alcohol level of .08 or higher fell 3.7 percent to 12,998 last year from 13,491 in 2006, the report said.

Hawai'i was one of 32 states showing declines. The other states reported increases.

"More drivers are getting the message that if you drink and drive, you will be caught, you will be arrested and you will go to jail," said federal Transportation Secretary Mary Peters. "But as good as this progress is, in this day and age, there is simply no excuse for someone to drink and then drive."

Hawai'i also had fewer motorcycle fatalities involving alcohol — nine last year compared with 11 in 2006.

But nationally, deaths of alcohol-impaired motorcycle riders increased by 7.5 percent, to 1,621 last year from 1,508 in 2006.

Hawai'i also saw total highway deaths drop to 138 last year, a 14 percent decline from 2006.

Karen Aldana, spokeswoman for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, said the drop in both overall deaths and drunken driving fatalities could not be traced to a single factor.

"It's the effectiveness of state and local governments and law enforcement efforts to crack down on drunk drivers," she said. "It's the efforts of organizations like Mothers Against Drunk Driving and paid advertisements and also increased seat belt use."