Traffic Fatalities Drop to Lowest in Over 50 Years | Washington Car Accident Lawyer

Highway deaths dropped 8.9% in 2009 from 2008's numbers. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood says although this is good news, "there are far too many people dying in traffic accidents."

Fatalities have dropped every year since 2005 from the recorded 43,510 deaths.

Road safety advocates say the high rates of unemployment are the biggest factor in the drop of fatalities, and that to truly say there has been a decline, it will take three to five years after the economy is back on it's feet. Others say this is not the case and that it is a genuine decline in accident deaths.

Federal officials say the efforts in different states including the Click it or Ticket campaign and a crackdown on drunk driving has helped decrease the number of deaths and create safer roads for drivers.

David Strickland of the National Highway Traffic Administration says the decline in highway fatalities is encouraging but they want to continue to see the number of deaths drop even further.