| Highway fatalities dropped 8.9% last year, says DOT |
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The U.S. Department of Transportation said Thursday that traffic fatalities in 2009 reached their lowest level since 1954. Highway fatalities totaled 33,963 nationwide last year, according to the DOT, a drop of 8.9% from 2008, when deaths on the road totaled 37,261. The government also said that the fatality rate in 2009 declined to 1.16 fatalities per 100 million miles traveled -- the lowest rate ever. This is down from a rate of 1.25 fatalities the prior year. The DOT also said that fatalities have been in decline for 15 consecutive quarters, through the end of 2009. Traffic deaths reached a "near-term" peak in 2005, then plunged 22% through 2009, the government said. The 
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