Traffic collisions, including fatal crashes, handled by the Sonoma County CHP rose in 2010 compared to 2009, but fewer drivers received tickets, the CHP says.

A total of 2,405 collisions were investigated last year by the local CHP, which covers all of Sonoma County but part of the Sonoma Valley. That’s up from 2,324 in 2009.

Of the 26 fatal crashes last year, 11 were blamed on DUI drivers. Of the 22 fatal collisions in 2009, nine were linked to DUI.

DUI arrests were down last year to 1,405 from 1,537 in 2009.

Total citations also fell to 37,003 last year compared to 37,378 in 2009.

Total arrests, which counts people actually taken into custody, were 1,984 last year vs. 2,075 the year before.

CHP Officer Jon Sloat said officers hadn’t fleshed out any trends or causes for the increases or decreases, although he noted that DUI arrests were down throughout the county last year.

For the Mendocino County CHP, here are the stats:

–7 fatal crashes in 2010 vs. 16 in 2009

–254 injury collisions in 2010 vs. 302 in 2009

–405 property damage collisions in 2010 vs. 397 in 2009

–Of the total 666 collisions last year, 103 involved DUIs compared to 91 in 2009.

–453 DUI arrests last year vs. 423 in 2009.

For Lake County CHP:

–14 fatal crashes in 2010 vs. 12 in 2009

–640 total collisions last year vs. 626 in 2009

–1,230 total arrests in 2010 vs. 1,390 in 2009

–369 DUI arrests in 2010 vs. 437 in 2009