Traffic Fatalities for 2009 Reach Record Low

Finally, some good news to read!!!
The U.S. Department of Transportation on March 11 announced that the number of overall traffic fatalities reported at the end of 2009 reached the lowest level since 1954, declining for the 15th consecutive quarter. According to early projections, the fatality rate, which takes into account the number of miles traveled, reached the lowest level ever recorded.
The projected fatality data for 2009 places the highway death count at 33,963, a drop of 8.9 percent as compared to the 37,261 deaths reported in 2008. The fatality rate for 2009 declined to the lowest on record, to 1.16 fatalities per 100 million Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT), down from 1.25 fatalities per 100 million VMT in 2008.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) attributes the decline in 2009 to a combination of factors, including high visibility campaigns like Click It or Ticket to increase seat belt use, and Drunk Driving, Over the Limit. Under Arrest, which helps with the enforcement of state laws to prevent drunk driving and distracted driving. In addition, the decline is also the result of safer roads, safer vehicles and motorists driving less.
NHTSA annually collects crash statistics from the 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, to produce annual reports on traffic fatality trends. The agency intends to update 2009 estimates regularly as more data becomes available. The final counts for 2009 will be made available in summer 2010.
To view the preliminary fatality statistics, visit http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/811291.PDF