Traffic Fatalities * USA -- At Record Lows -Though Not In All Regions-

Despite having driven 21 billion additional miles in 2010, versus 2009, Americans were safer yet on the roadways

Washington,DC,USA -The Car Connection -1 April 2011: -- Freshly released numbers from the federal government showing highway fatalities at their lowest rate since 1949—and, technically, "the lowest level in recorded history," as the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration puts it here...  That's particularly impressive as Americans drove an additional 21 million miles in 2010 versus 2009...  Nationally, fatalities were down three percent, to a total of 32,788 in 2010, based on early figures released this week. Adjusted, that's 1.09 deaths per million miles traveled in 2010, versus 1.13 in 2009. And it's a 25-percent drop in fatalities in just five years...  During 2009, fatalities also dropped to record lows, with last year's numbers the lowest since 1954...  Safety officials will no doubt be watching the 2011 numbers, as fatality rates again started rising for the last half of 2010, as drivers again started covering more miles in their vehicles...  In a blog post on the news, Secretary of Transportation, Ray LaHood, emphasized that the agency will continue its enforcement programs for seatbelt use, driving under the influence, and distracted driving. For the latter, LaHood pointed to federal government's distracted-driving campaign, the Faces of Distracted Driving...  The Secretary also said that several measures including Safety Edge roadway surfaces—which lessen the chances of loss of control and or rollover if a motorists swerves off (and back onto) the roadway—and highway rumble strips and cable barriers as increasing safety for U.S. motorists...