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Highway Deaths at Lowest Levels Since '61

By KEN THOMAS
,
AP
posted: 7 HOURS 27 MINUTES AGO
comments: 38
filed under: National News
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WASHINGTON (April 6) - An economic downturn can have a positive side: U.S. highway deaths in 2008 fell to their lowest level since John F. Kennedy was president.
The recession and $4 per gallon gas meant people drove less to save more. Experts also cited record high seat belt use, tighter enforcement of drunken driving laws and the work of advocacy groups that encourage safer driving habits.
Preliminary figures being released by the government Monday show that 37,313 people died in motor vehicle traffic crashes last year. That's 9.1 percent lower than the year before, when 41,059 died, and the fewest since 1961, when there were 36,285 deaths.
A different measure, also offering good news, was the fatality rate, the number of deaths per 100 million vehicle miles traveled. It was 1.28 in 2008, the lowest on record. A year earlier it was 1.36.
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"The silver lining in a bad economy is that people drive less, and so the number of deaths go down," said Adrian Lund, president of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. "Not only do they drive less but the kinds of driving they do tend to be less risky — there's less discretionary driving."
Fatalities fell by more than 14 percent in the northeastern New England states, and by 10 percent or more in many states along the Atlantic seaboard, parts of the Upper Midwest and the West Coast, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
"Americans should really be pleased that everyone has stepped up here in order to make driving safer and that people are paying attention to that," Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said.
In the past, tough economic times have brought similar declines in roadway deaths. Fatalities fell more than 16 percent from 1973 to 1974 as the U.S. dealt with the oil crisis and inflation. Highway deaths dropped nearly 11 percent from 1981 to 1982 as President Ronald Reagan battled a recession.
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The government said vehicle miles traveled in 2008 fell by about 3.6 percent, to 2.92 trillion miles (4.7 trillion kilometers), indicating many people adjusted their driving habits as gas prices fluctuated and the economy tumbled. The number of miles driven by motorists had risen steadily over the past three decades.
The figures are preliminary; final numbers and state-by-state totals are expected later in the year.
Several states have pushed for tougher seat belt laws that allow law enforcement officers to stop motorists whose sole offense was failing to buckle up. In 27 states and the District of Columbia, there are such enforcement laws. The remaining states have laws that allow tickets for seat belt violations only if motorists are stopped for other offenses. New Hampshire has no seat belt law for adults.
Seat belt use in 2008 climbed to 83 percent, a record. Fourteen states and the U.S. capital had rates of 90 percent or better. Michigan had the highest seat belt use rate with 97.2 percent, followed by Hawaii with 97 percent and Washington state at 96.5 percent. Massachusetts had the lowest rate, 66.8 percent, while it was under 70 percent in New Hampshire and Wyoming.
Many states have tried to improve their enforcement of driving laws and public outreach. In South Dakota, for example, state troopers are required to devote several hours a year to give presentations discouraging drunken driving or promoting seat belt use.
But many safety groups said it was unclear if the fatality numbers will continue to drop once the economy improves. If the projections hold, 2008 would be the first year since 1992 when traffic fatalities dipped below 40,000. Even with the declines, more than 100 people die on U.S. roads everyday.
"We still have too many people who are dying in car crashes," said Jacqueline Gillan, vice president for Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety.
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Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. Active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.
2009-04-06 08:00:42
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An2Anders

04:55 PMApr 06 2009

HEY !! NOT in PHILADELPHIA , there is NO enforcement of the Motor Vehicle or Traffic Laws anywhere in that town. I drove there , its a filthy , crime ridden, traffic lawless town.Try and find a police offucer , a joke , stay away , unless you want to get 'hit and runned" !!!

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(1)

feherszarvas

04:50 PMApr 06 2009

We don't use our cars as often, since the gas went up!! That's could be one reason

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Gotarmadillo

04:43 PMApr 06 2009

Oh, heck-this one is EASY!It's our "inssatiable lust for guns and drugs" that's causing this lull in highway deaths-we've been too busy shooting each other and getting stoned to get out and drvie, right Billary?

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CURTISBIGJ7

04:40 PMApr 06 2009

Just remember it is your right to drive it is not a privilege as the government tells you. Privileges are given to someone! We all pay out the ass to drive and for those that say well thats the law !! No, it is the governments law enacted by people that no longer represent we the people !! Those laws were put in place to make state and fed. lots and lots of money and the laws are there by way of lobbyist who throw lots and lots of money at your so called representives !! And they call this the democratic way !! lol revolution is at hand!!! Just say no to the government!!!!!!!!!!

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Rainmom1117

04:39 PMApr 06 2009

Less deaths on the highways because of more deaths at home, work, school, the store.

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Sharthefun

04:30 PMApr 06 2009

We are allways trying to figure a way to save lives. We have to many people in this country as it is. I say. let them kill themselves....

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ESCORT6768

04:24 PMApr 06 2009

Over the past weekend we have had three fatalities in my area. All late at night, all involving alcohol.

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DannyPinter

04:14 PMApr 06 2009

Forget the danger of driving on the highway...the economy by itself is killing me.

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thrdpstnrmy

04:12 PMApr 06 2009

This is further evidence that highway speed limits are unnecessary and should be abolished. State governments establish speed limits for the sole purpose of harrassing people and collecting huge traffic fines. The government has no business telling free citizens how fast they should drive, especially on wide open highways. Join us in taking back America and reclaiming our lost liberties! www.thirdpositionjustice.net

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PM0501

03:59 PMApr 06 2009

Sarikrj ....I have tried to drive the posted limit or even 10 MPH over and I am the lone eagle on the road. Everybody is hell bent on passing someone and geting there first. Even if you are doing 20-25 MPH over the limit, you will be in somebody's way. Tailgating has become a national soprt.As long as there is a shortage of police to write tickets, there will be a surplus of those willing to break the law.You can argue against the legal limits all you want but, they are what they are fair or not!

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